The Storm
by FranceGamble-too
Summary: (A/U) After the queen is murdered by magic, Uther forced Merlin to hide in his chambers for almost fifteen years. Arthur and Merlin were best friends but the separation makes things awkward when Arthur is crowned king and Merlin shows his magic. Can Arthur get Merlin back to stop the storm that is destroying the kingdom? (Loosely based off of Disney's Frozen)
1. Chapter 1

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter One

The giggles filled the halls as two boys ran from each other. They passed by statues made of wood, tapestries of ancient maps, and passed guards who side stepped them easily. Maids and servants smiled at the two very different looking children as they continued on their path through the castle to the gardens below. Running through the open doors and into the refreshing sunlight from the tomb like area of the entrance was like being born into a new world for the kids. The younger one, with dark black hair, tripped and gasped as the ground came quickly at him. He pushed himself back up into a kneeling position to see the blond, older boy holding out his hand to him. Both of them smiled as the younger child was brought up to his feet again.

As they continued their journey through into the center of the large garden the giggles ceased and they panted from their play. The air was crisp with a hint of winter on the way. The older boy rubbed his arms a bit, and the younger one took off again farther away from the castle. "Wait for me!" the blond yelled as he followed his friend.

Laughing again they collapsed onto a patch of still green grass. As the giggles stopped they rested staring at the bright white fluffy clouds lingering through the sky above them.

"I wish it could stay like this forever!" the dark haired boy said as he pointed both hands to the sky above.

"No way. I can't wait to become a knight. I am going to be the best ever!" the older boy emphasized his point by swinging his right arm like slashing a sword against a cloud.

"I don't want to hurt things and swords hurt things," the boy sounded sad. He sighed as his friend lifted up onto an elbow to look directly at the younger one.

"That's because you're a girl, Merlin," the boy laughed.

The young boy pouted up at his friend, "That is really mean, Arthur." He crossed his arms and looked away.

"Oh c'mon! You're such a whiner," Arthur Pendragon fell back against the lush grass. "I'm bored."

Merlin smiled as a thought came to him. "Okay," he said. He stood up quickly and held out his arms to his side. His eyes flashed bright gold and all around them the gentle fluttering of wings started to happen. Arthur sat up and smiled brightly as a rainbow of butterflies encircled them both.

"Let's catch them!" Arthur yelled.

"We can't hurt them!" Merlin warned. The older boy rolled his eyes but agreed to not hurt the creatures. They spent hours and hours until the sun had set beyond the forest catching and releasing the mass amounts of bugs. Merlin lifted his right hand to the sky and the butterflies flew off and into the distance.

"I wish I could do that," Arthur said, "but a bit less girly stuff." They walked back in the direction of the castle. At the main steps inside the court yard, they said they would see each other the next day, and both split to their own chambers and areas.

As Arthur was being dressed for bed by one of his nurse maids, Merlin was being lectured by his Uncle about safety in the castle. "Time and time again, Merlin, I have said you cannot run through the castle!" his uncle shook his head at the young boy.

"It was Arthur's idea! He started the game!" Merlin protested. "Am I supposed to tell the Prince of Camelot that I cannot follow his orders?" The man rose his left brow at the audacity of his young ward. The boy shrunk a bit to hide behind the table he was seated at and supposed to be eating the broth given to him for his evening meal. "I won't do it again, Gaius," he murmured.

"Merlin, you are under my care, and how am I to teach you anything if you're going to be kicked out of here for being wild?" Gaius sat down across from him and laid a gentle hand against the top of his raven hair. "Uther will deal with Arthur in the morning," he promised.

"I made butterflies today," Merlin said as he sipped on his soup.

"Hm, interesting. With the spell I taught you?" the man asked as he cooled his soup.

"Uh, no. I couldn't remember the words, so I just made them," Merlin admitted. The man across from him sighed, and they ate their soup in silence.

Down in the courtyard an older lady with gray hair looked up at the shinning narrow windows of the court physician's chambers. Narrowing darkened blue eyes at something she felt from inside her she hobbled on toward the main entrance to the castle. Going through the dark corridors with her black cloak pulled tight around her, she melted into the shadows. Sliding passed the guards and into the center of the castle was easy. Quickly she made her way up a long stair case and into a darkened chamber.

On the bed covered in silk was a beautiful blond lady. Her hair was cast about the pillows as her breath was even inside her chest. The old lady walked up to the fair woman and leaning over her bed she placed a beautiful charm across the sleeping beauty's chest. "Codladh domhain. Codladh go maith. Codladh i bás," she whispered. The stone in the center of the charm glowed a bright red and the lady's chest took no more air. Her lips turned a purple blue and her body paled quickly.

The lady ran from the room and right into two guards making their rounds. They grabbed onto her arms and before she could mutter another spell, one of them clamped their hands around her mouth. As one red clad guard held the foreigner, the other one went into the chambers. "My lady?" he questioned the dark room. Grabbing a torch by the door he struck a flint stick to bring light into the area. "My queen?" he asked as he approached her bed. Seeing her laying still and dead under the covers he screamed out for more guards. The one holding the prisoner set about taking her to the dungeons for later questioning.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: This came to me after my children made me watch Frozen for the sixtieth time. I thought: hmm… that could be easily a Merlin and Arthur type story! I'm going to change it a bit, though. It is NOT going to be THAT predictable. LOL! Just wanted to put I didn't own Frozen in the disclaimer since that is where I got the original idea.

I know I just started my Merlin crossover, The Final King, but I needed to get this out too. Look at my profile for the rotation schedule for updating. I will be updating a story every day. Tomorrow I will update on my fictionpress side, New Camelot: Blackout. If you haven't read them, go read my other stories!

Please review!

EDIT: I realized that my current work is riddled with errors. I have taken the time to go back and edit a few things to make reading a bit easier. It still isn't perfect, but now easier to read. Nothing changed, though, in the story itself.


	2. Chapter 2

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC.

Chapter Two

Merlin was terrified. He stood next to the legs of his guardian and listened as the king announced the death of the queen to the entire court. He looked over at his best friend who was sunk in his grand chair next to where the king stood straight backed and proud. Merlin felt very impoverish looking at the regal dress of his friend for the first time in his young life, but mostly it was the king's shimmering robes that brought that out of him. His own basic clothes were enough for him, but even Gaius wore colorful robes to this event. The younger boy could see the grief in both of the monarch's face. A few started to sob in the crowd as the king continued with his announcement. Merlin didn't understand where his fear was coming from, but it settled deep into the pit of his stomach.

"It has been determined that magic was the weapon used to kill my wife," the king ground out. His eyes leveled with Gaius and Merlin looked up to see the sadness reflected in that gaze. "Her funeral will be in two days' time. The accused will be executed tomorrow at dawn. Everyone is dismissed!" People started to clamor out of the large meeting room.

Merlin turned to leave when a hand held him back. He looked up to see Gaius still not moving and still having a staring match with their lord. In the corner of their eyes, Arthur moved from his chair to go to his best friend. He swallowed a few times during his walk down the steps of the thrones, but couldn't hold back anymore when he collapsed into a hug by the little black haired boy.

"Gaius," the king summoned the man over to where he still sat. The physician walked over and bowed slightly to his king before waiting for him to speak again. "Gaius, magic killed my wife. Could there have been anything she could have done to prevent it?"

"Magic can really only be fought with magic, sire," he hesitated before adding, "I don't know if we could prevent any death from happening. It is a horrible tragedy."

The king looked over at the children. "If magic didn't exist, my wife would still be here today," his eyes hardened as they locked with the blue eyes of the smallest boy. Merlin quickly looked away and hugged onto Arthur tighter. "I need to protect my son, now," he whispered.

"Sire, I don't think…" Gaius started to protest.

"Gaius, friend, make me a promised from this day forth," the king turned steel eyes to the other man. "No magic will be done in this place ever again. You will not perform another spell, ritual or incantation. You will not use another artifact." Fear came to the physician's eyes but he nodded. "I will announce it at the funeral. Anyone caught doing sorcery will be put to death. It is the only way to stop this evil from spreading."

"Sire, it was one…"

"It was my WIFE!" the king bellowed. In the corner the candles blew out from a wind that came from nowhere as Merlin squeaked in fear. Both boys held each other tightly and the eyes of the older monarch turned back to the children. "That one…" he pointed to his son's best friend.

"He cannot stop himself, your highness. He is very young and was born with…" Gaius tried to defend the child.

"Then he is a monster, a devil, that needs to be sent back to where he belongs," the king started to march over to the frightened children.

"Please, Uther, don't do this! I will teach him to not use it. Just as you trust me to not use mine, I will teach him to not use his," Gaius followed after the king until he stopped next to the quivering youngsters.

The graying haired man stared at the young boy who was doing his best not to look at him. His son unlatched himself and turned eyes that mimicked his mother's own toward the king. They were a challenge, but still hopeful and young. Turning away from the children the king ordered, "Erase my son's memories of magic in this place before the law is set and lock that thing away until he can be useful to my son and not be a monster." He turned to storm from the room, but before he left completely he said without turning, "If I see him before he can control it, Gaius, I will do what is needed to ensure my kingdom is safe."

Merlin didn't understand what had just happened. He turned to his guardian with questions wanting to fly off his tongue, but Gaius didn't hesitate to take both boys by their arms and escort them back to his chambers.

As he shut and locked the door the two boys stood side by side now with fear again gripping their hearts. "Merlin, go to your room. I'll talk with you in a little bit," he ordered the little boy. The child took off up the stairs and shut the door quickly as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. "Arthur," he lowered himself to look into the sea blue eyes of his young prince, "I have to do this because your father asked me to, but I'm not going to take all of your memories of Merlin away from you. I think having a friend will be very important for you."

He gently put his hands on either side of the blond boy's head and closed his eyes as he said, "Tóg an draíocht as a chuimhne. Fág gach duine eile." Behind his lids his eyes flashed a bright gold and the boy collapsed into the man's arms.

A few hours later the door to Merlin's room opened up to find the young boy lighting and extinguishing his candle next to his bed over and over again with a wave of a young hand. "Merlin," Gaius sighed. The boy let the candle go out and he looked up to his foster father.

"Where is Arthur?" he asked.

"He is sleeping off the charm I had to use on him," the physician sat down on the small wood slat bed. "You won't be able to play with him for a while. I don't even know if it is possible, but you will need to learn not to use your magic…"

"I'll die!" Merlin cried out. The doors to his clothing dresser swung open and crashed against the wood wall. He stood up and balled his fists at his side as tears fell from his eyes. "I can't stop using magic! I'll die!"

"Merlin!" Gaius scolded. His eyes softened though as he watched the young boy cry. He sighed, "Merlin, you just need to learn to control it. Until you can the king has banished you to these chambers. You need to stay in your room if someone is in the main room, but I'll be here for you. You won't be alone." The boy sniffled as large arms engulfed him, his hair was smoothed down from the back and the promise was repeated, "You won't be alone."

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Glad to see a great response to this story! This was supposed to be uploaded last night, but yesterday got busy (Captain America 2 is AWESOME!... but teething babies are not so much fun…)

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own BBC Merlin.

Chapter Three

Merlin had never heard something as terrible as the screams the woman gave while she burned outside in the court yard. Gaius held him as their ears and minds rang from her voice outside and her magical voice inside. When the horrible sound finally stopped and their ears could only pick up the crackling of the fire outside, along with the smell to their noses of the burning flesh, the young boy brought tear filled eyes to look up at the man holding him.

"Am I going to burn too?" he asked quietly. Gaius shook his head and held the young boy closer.

"No, my child, you'll be safe as long as you stay hidden from now on. We will teach you to control your gifts and no one will know any longer," the man answered gruffly. He held down the sobs of fear and anger as his arms pulled tighter together.

"Gaius, am I a monster?" The guardian answered that he wasn't as they both held each other in comfort.

~*~Ma~*~

Later that night the little blond boy couldn't be kept in his chambers by his nurse maid any longer. He ran out with her screams following him as he giggled through the halls toward his best friend's rooms. He didn't even knock as he burst into the physician's chambers and ran passed a shocked Gaius. "Merlin! Merlin come and chase butterflies with me!" he called through the door as he went up the short stairs. The lock clicked into the slot and Arthur stopped short. "Merlin?" he called out.

Gaius had been in shock to see his prince run in. "My prince, please come here." He sat the boy down at the table that they usually ate their meals in. Arthur fit better in the small stool than Merlin's more slight body did. "Merlin cannot play today. He cannot play for a long time. You need to go and stay with your nurse maid. Please, my lord, do this for me?" Arthur looked over at the door confused but nodded.

As he walked to the big door to the chambers he stopped, turned and smiled at Gaius, "I'll see him again, though, right? He's going to get better?" Gaius nodded and the bright smile widened before he rushed back out into the castle once again.

Behind the locked door Merlin sat with his back against the wall next to his bed. He formed a bright blue ball in his hands and swished it around his fingers as tears fell from his face. If he was sick, than he never wanted to be cured, he thought. He extinguished the ball and looked up as the door unlocked and the latch moved to have Gaius enter. "I'm not sick," he said as he crossed his arms and pouted, "I want to go and play." The table next to the boy rattled a bit against the stone flooring.

"Let's work on controlling your emotions first," Gaius said as he sat down on the bed next to the child. Merlin brought his face up and let the tears fall down his cheeks. "Having emotions is fine, but you need to learn to control them so you can control your power. I'm sorry Merlin, but this is to keep you safe."

~*~Ma~*~

The physician wasn't anywhere to be seen when he walked into the chambers that evening. Across from the room was the closed and locked door of his best friend. He knocked on it, "Merlin?" He heard shuffling on the other side, but the door didn't open. "They sent mother to the other side today," he said just loud enough to be heard through the door. Sitting down on the top step he leaned back against the door. "Merlin, I'm sad. I really wish you'd come out of there and talk to me. Father says I can't cry until the candles are snuffed and I'm alone in my chambers. Princes and Kings need to be strong and I really just want to cry right now," he sniffled and wiped his eyes and nose on his tunic sleeve.

Behind the door Merlin's eyes watered. He stood up suddenly and walked to the door. Hesitating with his hand out to unlock it the tears fell from his eyes again and he lowered his hand. He could not go against the king or Gaius. Sighing, he slid against the door down to the floor to listen to his best friend sob on the other side.

He would learn to not be a monster and he would learn to control his magic so he would be able to play with his friend again. He didn't want to be locked in his chambers for the rest of his life. He didn't want his friend to forever not know who he was and not know him as a friend ever again.

~*~Ma~*~

It had become a regular habit for him to skip his lessons and hide in the physician's chambers outside of the door where Merlin was a prisoner. Gaius had caught him a few times, but he just said he wanted to keep his sick friend company. Knowing the physician's schedule helped to stay away from being scolded, though, and today was no different.

"It's been almost a year," Arthur said as he leaned against the door again. He heard his friend, ever quiet on the other side, slide to sit against the door with him. They were back to back as Arthur talked. "I still miss her, you know?" he sighed as he reigned in his want to cry and continued on with something.

"Merlin, father brought this awful girl here, too. You should really meet her. I think maybe you'd get along with her, but she is just horrible to me. She calls me these names and says I'm spoiled. I don't know where she got that idea from, either, but she won't stop. Her name is Morgana. She's a daughter of a lord in the North, I think, and I just want her to go away. Father says she is staying, though, and he has promised her father to care for her. Oh, Merlin, when the snows come I hope you can come out so we can throw snow balls at her together," he rambled on and on about the happenings of the castle and kept his friend up to date with everything he could. After he would run out of things to say he would promise to come back and always leave before the bell toned that Gaius would be returning.

In evenings Gaius would lock the main door to the chambers and Merlin would come out to spend time in the common area. He did lessons to learn to control his magic, create herbal tinctures and help the physician make his potions. Tonight the little boy asked, "Can't I go play tomorrow? I promise I won't use my magic."

The man sighed and shook his head, "Merlin, you're not ready. You're still too uncontrolled and too emotional. You need to learn to bring everything inside and keep the magic contained." The candles flickered and the fire in the hearth rose a bit as Merlin balled his fists.

"I can't help it! It happens automatically and I am trying!" Merlin yelled. He stomped his foot and the vials sitting on the table shattered. At the destruction around him, he knew he had lost his case to play outside. "I'll help you clean up," he muttered in defeat as he went to get the bucket of water and a rag.

Gaius joined him as they carefully cleaned up the glass and debris from where their work station is. "One day, Merlin, you will be able to control this. One day you'll be able to leave from here free again," he put a hand on the young boy's shoulder.

"Can't you remove this curse?" Merlin asked as he looked up from where he was kneeling to get the shards from the floor. This time no tears came to his eyes, and Gaius feared that before the training was done he would break Merlin's kind spirit. He shook his head and the black haired boy sighed and went back to cleaning.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: I'm so glad to see people are enjoying this. I actually am writing this one off the top of my head. I'm too afraid to put down an outline like I usually do, so it's surprising to me to see so many liking this improvisational story. I'll be updating my other story, The Final King, later today as well.

Answers to questions (I will PM you if you sign in):

A Fellow Reader – Don't worry, I'm going to continue and you're going to get your answers. Glad you're enjoying it.

FanfictionHopper – It is. I use it on all of my fanfictions. It's just easier for me to put it down at the bottom to say I am continuing with the story and it's not done yet. I've been speaking a lot of Japanese (and using a lot of ASL) at home lately, anyway, so I'm trying very hard to keep my grammar correct in this story! Glad you like the story!


	4. Chapter 4

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter Four

The vials burst against the wall as Merlin panted and collapsed to the floor. His ten year old frame shook and he started to sob against the stones. "I can't do it!" he screamed and books flew from the shelves to scatter around Gaius and the boy.

"You held it in for three days," Gaius said grimly, "That is getting better."

"It hurts!" Merlin sobbed as more things fell from around the room. Candles lit suddenly and then extinguished themselves. Finally the magical onslaught finished and the boy was left panting curled in a ball. "I can't hold it in, Gaius; it hurts like I'm being burned from the inside. I'd rather be burned at the stake than hold it in. I'd rather die like the others!"

"Never say that," the man leaned down and brought the sobbing boy back to his knees. "I will not let that happen."

"Please," Merlin begged, "Just let him have me. I can't control it."

"You just need to let it loose in little ways, then. Small ways away from other people and away from being seen… you will learn to control this," Gaius promised the child.

"They scream, the others, and I just want to break everything around me when they die. I can feel it inside of me. I'm a monster and I deserve to be with the rest of the monsters," the child stood up suddenly and ran for his room. The door opened without prompting and slammed shut without a hand as the boy threw himself onto the slated bed.

Gaius felt inside him break as he heard the sobs on the other side. Merlin's magic was getting strong with each day and the boy was correct in that he could not hold it inside like they had hoped. He sighed, gathered his bag and went to make his evening rounds. He would clean up the mess of their practice later.

He walked across the court yard and didn't see the blond boy who ran up the steps of the physician's tower to the chamber at the top. He slid into the door and paused at the chaos thrown around the room. He could hear his friend sobbing on the other side of his now locked door and went to sit at the top of the steps. "Had a rough day?" he asked. He didn't get an answer, except that the crying had stopped and soon he heard his friend slide down to sit on the other side of the wood. He never received a verbal answer from Merlin, but it didn't stop him from coming anyway. "Must have been one horrible tantrum, Merlin, you even ripped some of the books before throwing them!" he laughed.

"I tried begging my father for your release again, today," he said a bit more quietly. "He won't have any of it and he won't tell me why you are locked away like this. Can't you tell me?" He turned a bit to face the door. "I promise I just want to know why they would lock you away from me. Did we do something wrong?" he put his hand against the door and sighed.

It was silent as ever from the small room. He sighed again and stood up, "Well, I have to go and train with Leon. He's teaching me to be a knight. Father says that I'll have to lead them one day, so I guess I'd better get good at it." He walked down the steps and turned around, "Merlin, when you do want to talk, you know I'll be here for you."

His sixteen year old eyes watched as his mentor packed the large bag full of vials and things he needed. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" he asked.

Gaius smiled and sighed. He turned to the boy and put his hands on his shoulders. "Keep practicing. You're still letting your emotions take control. I'm sure you'll be fine without me for a few days," he smiled and put more things he would need into the satchel.

"Can't I come with you?" he asked as he handed a tunic over from the table.

"No, the king doesn't want you out of here just yet. You cannot completely control yourself and we don't need an accident. Don't let Arthur pull you from here, understand?" he smiled at the down trodden face. He hugged the child, "The king and I will return in a few days. It's just a small diplomatic thing."

"Then why are you going?" Merlin asked. He pulled back and felt tears sting his eyes.

"Because the king has an infection and I need to be there to make sure he takes his medicine on time. Merlin, you'll be fine. You're a big boy now," he patted the black haired boy's shoulder and turned to leave the chambers. "Remember, stay in your bed chamber unless you know this door is locked. I know you know how to do that. Do not let anyone see you. Physician Thomas will take care of things from his own chambers and won't be in here." Merlin nodded but felt dread pull down into his stomach as he watched the large doors shut behind the white haired man. Something was going to happen and he just knew it wasn't going to be pleasant.

~*~Ma~*~

The sun was just coming over the side of the castle gates when the sound of the galloping horse broke through his thoughts. He climbed onto his chair to look down into the court yard and see Prince Arthur and the girl, Morgana, greet a messenger from the land that his mentor and the king had visited. As Arthur opened up the note and the young lady beside him both read the missive, she let out a horrible wail and the letter fell to the stone steps as Arthur stood staring into space. Merlin felt his heart stop at the sudden grief the both showed below.

Something horrible had happened, just as he had been warned by his feeling just days ago. Once again the vials on the table behind him shattered as a tear fell down his face. It was the only sign that he knew he was alone now.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: I'm sorry everyone who likes Gaius. I do too, but I needed this to happen! Don't kill me!

Please review! I am also grateful to everyone now following this story and have put this in their favorite list! You're keeping me going!


	5. Chapter 5

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter Five

Merlin sat with his hands in front of a candle as he leaned against the door to his small bed chamber. He would wave to the left and a flame would spring to life, and he would wave to the right and it would disappear in a puff of smoke. Trumpets and bells rang outside of his window, but he didn't flinch nor acknowledged the sound. A single tear fell down from his face as he continued to play with the wick in front of him.

The sound of the outer door opening alerted him to someone entering the larger chamber beyond, but he knew he was safely locked inside of the room. The large pounding on the wood stairs gave away who it was that was visiting as the door shook a bit on its hinges as the person leaned against it.

"Merlin…" the voice called out softly. It didn't hitch like it had when the boy on the other side had visited his mother's funeral. "We sent Gaius and my father off today… People… People knew Gaius had you in here…" this time the prince had to clear his throat before continuing, "I told you yesterday you were allowed to come. I was surprised to see you didn't. Can't you come out of there?"

Merlin didn't answer and he continued on with his task of keeping control over the flame in front of him. Magic flowing freely through his palms made him not feel the deep grief inside of him.

"Well, alright then… I have made it clear that these are now your chambers. The new physician has agreed to just keep working from his own chambers in the castle," Arthur said through the door. "We really only have each other, you know? Morgana has also locked herself away, and I don't think I'd be able to really talk with her anyway." The blond sighed, "Can you please clean up this larger chamber and set out what the new physician will need? I'll have some servants come by in the morning to pick it up and bring you some food, too." The door shuttered as the pressure against it released itself and the clomping sound signaled the prince was leaving the room again. Before the outer door shut, though, he called out, "Right now my uncle is in charge of the kingdom, but in two years I'm going to be king, Merlin. I want you there to see it, and I will not allow you to sit in here any longer."

As the door slammed on the other side Merlin stopped his hand from creating the magic. In two years would he have control enough of everything to not show his magic in a kingdom that killed those like him? He balled his fists and felt his magic release suddenly. The candles in the room ignited and then exploded in a flying mess of melted wax.

Why did Gaius have to leave him? He wasn't ready yet to do anything on his own.

~*~Ma~*~

Arthur didn't visit again after that day. At first it was a relief to Merlin to know that he could really exit his bed chamber at any moment during the day and not run into the monarch, but he still was weary to avoid being seen by the servants. He practiced constantly to control every amount of magic inside of him, but some day's things just couldn't help but be broken. He was sure the guards and servants who came into the tower were reporting his "fits" to Arthur, but the prince never came to tell him off. Through the windows of the chambers he could hear Arthur in the court yard below practicing with the knights and he would watch as dignitaries from other kingdoms came and went as the years followed outside.

Merlin was very shocked, though, one summer day when the outside chamber door burst open suddenly. He had been in his bed chamber folding his now dry washing behind his closed and locked door. "Merlin!" the voice boomed out. "Merlin, come out! My coronation is this evening. I warned you about it two years ago, now come out." He heard the boots stomping against the flagstone, but they didn't ascend the stairs like they had all the years previous.

Merlin stood stock still. He didn't know what to do. Gaius had warned him to never leave the room and he still knew that his magic was volatile on the best of days. He still held deep in his heart anger for the executions of magic users and the depression of losing his mentor. Right now he breathed in calming breaths as panic started to seep deep into his chest.

"Merlin, you have to the count of five before I just start to torch this tower," Arthur threatened. The black haired boy's blue eyes widened at the threat. He really hated fire and never wanted to be burned alive. "One…!"

Merlin ran for his door, hit the latch and ran down the steps to look at Arthur for the first time almost fourteen years. There in front of him was hardened blue eyes, now a touch of brown colored the once pure blond of his best friend's hair, and the guy was covered in chain mail, the family crest, and a sword hung at his hip with ease. He looked like a knight of the highest regard and Merlin almost didn't recognize him.

Arthur as well was surprised at what his friend looked like. Deep dark circles fell underneath his other worldly blue eyes, his black hair was cut in a horribly self-shorn and sticking in many directions almost untamed. His clothing was simple, ragged, and he was looking desperately skinny underneath it all. As Arthur had filled out during the years, it looked like Merlin had been starved. He knew, of course, that Merlin's meals would come back to kitchen at times uneaten during the years between the death of Gaius and this day.

"You wouldn't really burn this room down, right?" Merlin asked uncertain.

"Of course not, but you have emerged finally from your room. If I had known all I had to do was threaten you with a torch, I would have done it ages ago," Arthur smirked cockily. Merlin scowled.

"That was very cruel," he grumbled. He crossed his arms and went to turn back to enter his room again.

"Wait, Merlin," Arthur clomped to head off Merlin's retreat. He stood between the smaller boy and the stairs. "You can't go back in there."

"I am going back to my room, Arthur," he said as he lowered his arms to his side and glared at the prince.

"I am not letting you," Arthur said as he crossed his arms to show himself larger than his friend.

"You can't stop me," Merlin said confidently. Inside, though, he knew he wouldn't ever be able to fight Arthur. He couldn't let his friend, the prince of this kingdom, know he had magic. The soon king would certainly burn him no matter what he had just said.

"You're scrawny. I'm a knight. I'm the prince. I can do whatever I want and you have to obey me," Arthur said as he leaned forward, turned Merlin around with force and pushed him out the chamber's main doors. "And I am telling you, that you're going to get cleaned up, in some new clothes, and be ready in one candle mark's time for my coronation," he used his right hand to continue to shove the smaller boy down the stairs of the tower as his left patted his friend's shoulder.

Merlin willed his magic down as hard as he could as he was dragged to what he knew would be his death by the end of the day.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Here I am supposed to be working on the last edits of Keeper's Kinn (has to be final edited by the end of May to be published this summer), but the reviews and attention this has received has me so thrilled! Here's another chapter early! Thank you everyone for enjoying this story.

Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin BBC nor do I own Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Six

Arthur stretched as his best clothes were settled over his arms and shoulders by a servant. "I do not think, my lord, that we should expect Merlin to be at this ceremony. He is just a peasant and…" his uncle never got the chance to finish as Arthur turned to give him half of a smile.

"Uncle, I know you are concerned for how the people will take to me, but Merlin isn't just a peasant. He is my best friend. I hope to give him a good job in the castle if he would let me. I just need to get him to see that he can be released from his rooms now that I am king," Arthur said as he pulled his belt and sword around his waist. His uncle bowed his dark haired head to his new sire and left the room in a flourish of expensive clothing and cloak. As Arthur looked himself over in the mirror on the other side of his dressing screen he once again wondered why his father had locked away the other boy and why had Gaius not protested more against it. Why hadn't either man wanted him to have a friend growing up in the cruel atmosphere of the cold castle?

Just a hallway down from the future king was Merlin standing in front of his own mirror. Another servant had helped even out his hair and he had been given new sets of clothing. They were nothing like the prince's, but they were new. He hadn't had any new clothes since Gaius had left and it brought up another pang of loneliness in his heart. His eyes flashed gold and a crack appeared in the corner of the glass mirror. He breathed in, shut his eyes and calmed his emotions. He pushed the magic as far down into his body as he could. He was glad that he was alone in the room now waiting for another servant to get him to watch Arthur become king.

He was excited for Arthur, but he knew that nothing would change, either. Magic would still be outlawed, because Arthur didn't remember living with magic around him. Merlin remembered, though. He remembered making butterflies, and lighting the hearth before they would tell stories at night. His memories never left him and they made him sad now instead of happy.

"What do I do, Gaius?" he asked the mirror. He knew that no matter what he did his magic wouldn't be able to bring his mentor and guardian back from the dead. He had to just now live in the moment and hope that Gaius wouldn't be scolding him when he joined him in death. His magic rolled underneath his shields and he figured that he would probably be executed by the morning.

As the servant showed up to bring him to the large throne room where Arthur would receive his crown, Merlin pushed his magic further down and locked his emotions better. He had gotten better at controlling it through the years, but his best time had only been from sunrise to sunset with his magic confined. He became very ill with it not rolling through his body and as he threw up what he had eaten that evening for supper his magic had been released at such a torrent he was sure the guards thought he had blown up the tower. He couldn't risk that happening again. He would need to get away from everyone for a while and use his magic quietly. His body shuddered as they walked through the large doors with the rest of the peasants and staff.

Arthur stood next to a proud man with cold eyes. He was speaking quietly to the man who was nodding and smiling slightly at what was being said. In the front row was the knights Merlin would watch training with Arthur and on the other side was a beautiful black haired woman in an ornate dress. Merlin's brain filled in the gaps from his previous conversations with Arthur through his door (if you call just listening to the prince whine about his life as a conversation) and what Gaius would tell him during his imprisonment. The man next to the prince was his Uncle Agravaine and the woman had to be Morgana. It didn't take long before the ceremony to make Arthur king started and Merlin's mind drifted as he looked around the room.

The last time he had seen this room was when he was holding onto Gaius' robes to keep from being a fidgeting toddler. It hadn't changed in all of those years and Merlin felt like maybe everything would be fine in his life finally.

The crown was placed onto the blond head and as Arthur stood up for the first time as King everyone in the crowd shouted out at once, "Long live the king!" Merlin's voice rose with everyone else's and he smiled brightly with the feel of everyone around him. He felt joy fill him for the first time in years and he forgot for a moment that he wasn't like everyone around him.

He was swept off to the side by the servant who brought him as the peasants were cleared from the room and everyone from the castle started to enjoy the party that came after the coronation. Merlin still felt the thrill around him as he pushed himself back against the wall and watched everyone. The nobles, lords and ladies, and the staff all did a beautiful dance of duties as he watched.

Arthur was laughing at something Morgana had said, but it didn't seem she was enjoying the joke as much. She huffed something else quietly to the new king who stopped laughing and said something else with a smirk on his face. He turned away from the woman and found Merlin trying to hide against the tapestries. Setting himself into making the introvert actually mingle was now a new mission for the monarch. He came to stand in front of the lake blue eyes as they finished their path of watching everyone around him. "Merlin, it's a party. Come out of hiding and do something. Learn something. I don't care what it is. If you feel the need to dance, then go and dance, but get away from the wall," he said as he went to pull on Merlin's arm.

"Arthur, I can't," Merlin said as he pushed down the magic now swirling inside of him. Fear gripped him and he knew he needed to leave the room quickly.

The dark haired court lady came up behind the monarch, "Oh Arthur, leave the boy alone. He has been locked away all of this time. He wouldn't know how to deal with these crowds."

"I didn't ask you, Morgana," Arthur said sternly as he pulled again on Merlin's arm. Morgana rolled her eyes, smiled kindly to Merlin's fearful face, and walked away from them. Merlin watched her walk through the large doors and out of the party all together.

"Arthur, really, I'm fine right here. Please let me go," Merlin said as he tried to tug his sleeve back. "I think you should apologize to Morgana." He needed to run now. He needed to release the energy and soon or it would be a catastrophe. Arthur laughed, but the smaller boy was finally able to get free from the king. "I have to go," he said as he quickly turned to follow Morgana out the doors. The blond friend called out and went to catch him. He couldn't hold it any longer as he felt the power rise inside from the fear clutching his heart. He stumbled, fell to the floor and his eyes flashed. The stained glass windows shattered and a wind ripped through the party emenating from Merlin himself. He caught his breath, reigned in his magic and only saw the shock on the king's face as he ran through the doors.

Outside the now broken windows the sky above pulled dark massive clouds. As the sky began to cry, Merlin ran from the castle. A bolt of lightning flashed above them all and Arthur stood still waiting for his reality to wake him from his sudden nightmare. Merlin was a sorcerer?

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: I actually am writing this as a storm is coming over me right now. The rain is pelting the ceiling so loud I couldn't hear my own thoughts. I hope this chapter doesn't suck because it was hard to get straight in my head.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry I didn't send PMs out this time. I got very busy. Any questions, though, and I'll send you a PM to answer.

Please review! Let me know your thoughts. This story isn't outlined, so any suggestions could be helpful, too.


	7. Chapter 7

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own BBC Merlin nor do I own Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Seven

He ran with all of his might out of the double doors and through the castle. He could feel tears of panic come to his eyes as he stumbled down the front steps. He didn't stop, even when the guards at the gate went to halt his progress out of Camelot. With a flash of his eyes they were thrown back to the ground away from him and he felt guilt run through his chest as they staggered back to their feet. He felt sorry, for the first time in a long while, that he ever was born with the magic. He left the path and ran into the forest as the rain pelted against his new clothes. A streak of lightning flashed across above him and he tripped on a root. Now covered in mud he let the tears release down his cheeks.

He needed to get up, he knew, because Arthur would be sending out the knights to capture him. He wouldn't be able to live very long if he didn't move now. He felt frustration build inside of him as he thought about Arthur hunting him down to execute him. His own friend was now king and his own friend would now have to kill him. He had all of this power built up inside and yet he was an outlaw. He didn't ask for this. He never asked for this.

He screamed out and up at the blackened clouds. A lightning bolt came down and struck a nearby tree catching it ablaze. The rain came down into such a sheet that it immediately smothered the fire and covered everything into a haze. Now completely spent of energy he stood up and stumbled his way toward freedom hidden by the torrential downpour.

He didn't stop even when the rain became just a steady companion instead of the sheets it had been earlier. He continued on deep into the night and felt nothing inside of him. His magic wrapped around him and warmed him without a thought as he felt despair grip his heart. He was so lost in his own melancholy ways that he didn't realize he was at the edge of the cliff until the soft ground gave out from underneath him. His eyes flashed and a vine wrapped quickly around his wrist. He panted and looked up at the savior root as the rest of the side of mud gave way. Looking down passed his boots he saw the raging river below. It would have killed him to fall from that height and into the white capped waters. His blue eyes looked back up again and flashed again to gold. The root started to pull him back to the surface and he scrambled his nails into the side of the dirt to try and help it along. Without untying the vine he scrambled over the bank and back onto stable ground.

He couldn't travel any further during the dark. The clouds, rain and everything that had helped his escape was now hindering him.

The rain didn't stop, but he did continue to travel. He didn't know where he was going. Gaius had never given him maps to study and he had been so young when he was imprisoned, but he knew he was just getting away from the citadel. With every step he took he continued to think Arthur was right behind him. Any moment that he stumbled he would hear the sound of the hooves from the horses, but when he listened very carefully he realized it was just the patter of the rain against leaves. He had found edible plants along the way and at one moment had caught a rabbit, but the fearful eyes of the creature had him setting it free. He couldn't bring himself, no matter how hungry, to execute another living animal. It was different when the kitchens had brought meat up and he had eaten it since he hadn't had to see the thing alive before.

A mist had settled around the area he was in and he found himself staring at three large trees smashed almost together. They blocked his path but he didn't go around them. His black hair was matted down with mud, sticks, and rain. His clothes clung to him like a second skin. He felt trembles flow down his body as his magic rushed and waned beneath his skin to keep him warm. He needed to have a shelter and he figured he was finally far enough away to live in peace.

Stumbling up to touch the rough bark of one of the trees he smiled and looked up. He could feel the energy in the plant and could feel his magic respond in kind to the living thing. His eyes flashed for a second and he felt welcomed. Keeping his hand on the bark, he shut his eyes to feel the root systems underneath the trees intertwining and to feel the leaves above him gathering what sun they could through the haze of the clouds. It asked for more energy from him and he willingly allowed his magic to flow into the tree and through to the other two as well. With a powerful burst of energy he moved, created and allow a hallow to form from the roots of the trees. With his energy given they moved through to his will. He opened his eyes and stepped back against the soggy ground to see the hallow he had created from the trees. It would be his home. He knelt down and pushed more energy into the surrounding area to create bushes, trees and plants he would need to survive and give them the energy they would have usually received from the sun. He created through the mud channels to wash down the constant rain and not drown his new home.

He walked into the opening of his home and thought he would need a door of some form. Seeing a vining type plant covering the main tree of his alcove her pushed energy in to make it into a drape over the door. It blossomed out with beautiful purple and white flowers with the new energy and created color in the brown and green forest. He walked through the vines, they split for him to leave the shelter, and gathered broken sticks, twigs and dead branches. Taking them into his home he created a fire next to a small opening he had left as a chimney. Taking off his outer clothes he huddled near the warmth of the blaze to dry his under garments on his body. The area warmed quickly and a small smile came to his face.

He was finally free to do what he wanted. He could create, use and love his magic without worry of being seen. He knew that Gaius had wanted to protect him, but he also knew that deep down he could never be able to live without his magic. As long as he didn't stray from his sanctuary he would be able to live in peace. Instead of crying about his friend back in the castle he rejoiced inside at finally being himself.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Here's the new chapter a day earlier than I had planned. We have a Taekwondo tournament tomorrow and I'll be way too exhausted to write anything. Oh, and I have a FB page if you go and look at my profile to like it. I write original stuff and soon one of my books is going to be published. Thanks everyone!

How did you like Merlin's version of Elsa's ice castle? Did I give enough details or should I expand on it to give a more clear image? Next chapter will be in Camelot and Arthur's view during this time that Merlin is out trying to flee.

Review please! Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! They keep me going on with the constant updates!


	8. Chapter 8

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin. I don't own Disney's Frozen, either.

Chapter Eight

Arthur stood there frozen in the spot looking at the doors that his best childhood friend had just escaped through. Merlin had magic. It kept swimming around inside his brain and yet for some reason he couldn't get himself to believe. He had seen it, though. His very own blue eyes had seen his friend do magic. His friend's eyes had turned the gold color of a sorcerer. The boy who had been locked up into the physician's chambers for years, right under his father's nose, did magic; powerful magic, too.

The wind from the storm outside ripped into the large ball room from the now broken large windows above. His cloak whipped around as his guests screamed around him. He heard his uncle yell for the guards and knights to follow the magic user and capture him.

A bright flash of lightning snapped him out from his stupor and his uncle's hand came down on his shoulders, "Arthur?" He looked over at his uncle's concerned face. "Did you know?" he asked. The blond shook his head.

"All of this time he was trapped in those rooms, but why would he learn magic?" Arthur asked himself. His uncle shrugged beside him. "Uncle, have someone check on Morgana. I… I will be in my chambers. Have them bring him alive to me as soon as they catch him," he ordered. He stormed out of the party and went straight through the castle to his own bed.

He sat at his desk when the first reports started to come in just an hour later. Merlin had used magic against the gate guards, but they were able to still follow his tracks into the forest around. The storm outside gathered into strength. The thunder shook the panes in his windows and the water came down hard. The heavens were crying in anger just like Arthur's heart inside his chest.

Why would Merlin learn magic? Why did Gaius allow him to learn magic? He had been taught that sorcerers needed words, incantations, to perform their spells, but Merlin hadn't spoken anything when his eyes had flashed. He had learned magic to the point of being able to cast a spell without even saying a word. It made him dangerous.

He stewed in his thoughts for the hours before dark. The forest had caught fire a while ago, though the rain was doing a good job of not letting it spread far from its ignition point. He stood up from his reports and looked out of the window as the darkened sky shone with the white from the electricity running across it and the glow from the fire burning still a safe distance away. His citizens were pulling animals out of flooded streets, and trying to get their roofs repaired as they cracked and leaked from the harsh down pour. Camelot had never seen a storm like this in her history.

A soft knock on the door behind him caused him to jump. He sighed and called for the person to enter. Behind him he heard the latch. Turning he faced his other childhood friend. "Morgana," he greeted her with a small smile.

"Are you alright, Arthur?" she asked concerned. She walked to him and sat down casually onto one of his chairs at his table. "I know Merlin was your friend," she said quietly, "I am trying to understand what happened. Did Uther know?"

Arthur shook his head and shrugged one of his shoulders. "I don't know," he said. He leaned against the table and looked down at the woman. "I am also very confused," he admitted. "Why would Merlin learn sorcery?"

Morgana sighed and shook her head. The sound of the storm drowned out anything around them and the flash was so bright it caused them both to flinch. "Did he cause this storm?" she asked him. She rubbed her eyes to try and clear them from the dots that had been brought by the sudden light.

"I think so."

They didn't talk for a long while as they just sat there in their own thoughts. Arthur finally stood up as Morgana turned to stand and leave. They said good-night to each other and Morgana left Arthur to try and sleep in the chaos happening outside.

Arthur wished with every fiber that he could run to Gaius and ask him what was happening. He wished he could go and talk to Merlin through the door again. He wished once again that Merlin hadn't been confined for so long.

As another blast of thunder hit the citadel a thought struck him. Had Merlin learned magic so that he could have used it against the king, Uther or Arthur, and free himself from his confines? Arthur had tried to make it clear that he was free as soon as Uther and Gaius had passed away, but could Merlin still had felt trapped? Did he continue to learn even after their deaths?

He turned away from his bed and ran for the old physician's chambers. He needed to search it. He needed to know if Merlin had still been studying even after Uther and Gaius had died. He needed to know if they had a very powerful enemy. Could Merlin really have turned against him? Would Merlin have turned against him even if he had tried through the many years to continue to be his friend?

As he scrambled up the steps to the old tower he kept wondering if maybe he hadn't tried hard enough to break through to Merlin. Was he not a good friend? Did his friend hate him now? He entered the dark chamber and used the light from the storm outside to start the candles around the room and begin his search. Had his friend been committing treason since he was a child and could he possibly find any contradiction to his thoughts? Did he want to find anything to confirm or deny what was swirling around in his head? His friend already did magic, but maybe he could find something to prove that his friend hadn't had a choice? Could a sorcerer not have a choice in their magic?

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry everyone that this wasn't updated sooner. One of my sister's was hospitalized on Sunday, my aunt died on Tuesday, my daughter got sick on Tuesday, my hospitalized sister had a seizure on Wednesday, Beltane was Thursday, and tomorrow is my deceased sister's birthday. So, suffice to say that I am REALLY glad this week is just about over. I will keep my updates sooner from now on barring any more personal matters happening.

Not tomorrow, though. I have my deadline to meet on my original and so I am planning to spend sunrise to sunset on that. Yay me!

Please review. Tell me what you think of this chapter? Tell me what you think of the story so far?


	9. Chapter 9

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin or Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Nine

Arthur opened the door to the old chambers he used to visit frequently behind his father's back. He had a suspicion that Gaius knew he was still coming to see Merlin, but the physician had never said anything. Looking around he saw books, old utensils of vials and things Gaius had used in his life but their new physician didn't need, and Merlin's bedroom door firmly shut. I was almost like those blissful days of childhood. Dust swirled around in the room and he wished for the sun to shine through to make the patterns like it used to in the air. He suddenly didn't want to be an adult, or even king, but rather the child who just wondered why his best friend had locked himself away from the world.

He slowly walked into the room and went straight for the closed door to the smaller bed chamber where Merlin had stayed. A flash of lightning tore through the sky and the thunder shook through to his bones. That had been a close strike. He put his hand against the still vibrating wood of the door and said loudly, "Merlin?" He knew his friend was not on the other side, though. "Merlin, why would you learn magic?" he asked the vacant room. Sighing in resignation of not getting his answer by talking to air, he turned to the room around him. He needed to find something that would tell him why his friend would ever learn the banned arts.

His eyes scanned the shelves full of the books that Gaius had needed during his time in the castle. He would start there, he decided as he climbed to the top of the terrace to begin going through each and every book.

He had been searching for hours now, pulling one book down after another and looking through to see if he could find any indication of magic use within each cover. He was a fourth through the books when his uncle had walked in to find him. "Arthur? What are you doing in here?" he asked as he looked up at the boy putting back another large tomb and grabbing a slightly smaller book.

"I am researching," he answered tersly.

"Well, I searched for you for a while now. I thought maybe you had gone after the sorcerer…" he trailed off as Arthur scanned the pages. "Arthur, you need to come and attend to your duties. As king, it is important to show strength right now, sire," the honorific almost seemed like an afterthought. The newly crowned king ignored it, though, as he reached up for another book.

"I am doing my research for my people, Agrevaine. Please cancel all of my appointments for today. I will call a council meeting as soon as I find my answer," the younger man said back.

"Answer to what?"

"To how and why my friend would do such horrible magic." The room went silent as Arthur continued to search through another book. His uncle said he would have food sent up to him and left the room in a flourish of robes.

The monarch searched through the daylight hours and had to start burning candles before sunset due to the darkened sky. The rain started to come down in sheets again outside. He could hear it battering against the panes in the window and smacking against the stones in the courtyard.

He laid his head down against the table where his tray with his supper still sat. He had gone through most of the books in the room and now had started searching through haphazard places. He had found books not filed away on the shelf, but those didn't seem to have any information. He turned his head to the side and laid his cheek against the cool grained wood. He shut his eyes and thought about how to continue. Of course Merlin and Gaius wouldn't leave a magic book out in the open. Where would he hide a book he didn't want anyone to find?

He wouldn't hide a book, of course, but then he mentally shook that thought away. Where would they hide their magic books? ...Or something that could contain information about magic?

His eyes snapped open and he ran to where Gaius used to sleep. Bending down he searched underneath the small bed. He couldn't see anything underneath the bed, but he allowed his hand to do a quick sweep through anyway. His hand and arm were attacked by dust bunnies, but nothing else was in the dark. "Ugh," he said aloud as he shook the balls of fluff off his fingers. Merlin really needed a lesson on how to clean properly, he thought.

Getting up from the floor, he turned to look at the one place he really didn't want to go into. Merlin's bedroom door stood imposingly on the other side of the room. He straightened up and marched over to the door. He was a king and a wonderful swordsman, but for some reason the thought of entering the room Merlin had been kept in was daunting. He hadn't ever been allowed in there in his memory and it felt wrong to enter it now.

He stole some of his nerve back and climbed the stairs. Before he lost himself, he tore open the door and looked at the small room. He felt taken aback by the size of the room. It was a storage closet with a bed, a cupboard like wardrobe, a night table and random objects. The room had not actually been put in to hold such things and they took up most of it. He tore himself from looking around with just his eyes and started rummaging through the clothing in the wardrobe. Finding nothing in there he leaned down to lay on the floor and do a complete sweep with his hand there like he had with Gaius' bed. He was surprised when he brushed out not one, but two books. Sitting himself straight he opened them both while they lay on the floor. To his astonishment they weren't magic books but journals. The handwriting was completely different in both of them. Looking at the one on the left he realized that Merlin had possession of Gaius' journal, and it had actually been written like a long letter to the boy starting with the time that Merlin had been sent to live with him. Merlin's, though, started years later when the child had learned to read and write by Gaius during his imprisonment.

He grabbed them both and ran from the small room and the old physician's chambers. He briskly walked passed all of his guards to his own chambers to start reading Gaius' journal first. He needed to know why the first lines started with, "Dear Merlin, Welcome to Camelot. I hope that I will be able to teach you to control your power and that you become best friends with Arthur through time…"

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: So, I am in line for tornadoes today and tomorrow. Yay me... Hope everyone else in the danger zones fares well through these REAL storms.

My goal is another chapter to be placed up on Friday night or Saturday night. This depends on if my area actually gets a tornado. I will post something if I lose my computer due to a storm at all by adding an A/N chapter with my phone. I'm not worried, though.

Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own BCC Merlin nor do I own Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Ten

His golden head bobbed in place as his eyes kept drooping down to close. His blue eyes flashed open as he heard the noise of his cupboard opening in the bed chamber. "Sorry, sire," the servant, George, said as he realized he had shut the door a bit too hard and had woken the monarch. Arthur waved his hand into the air and yawned as he arched his back against the chair. Three days now of endless storms, rain, and sometimes just a mist that settled over the land. Three days now of him reading every inch of both of the journals. He had them now practically memorized. Merlin's was the hardest, at first, to understand. The boy had written it starting from a young age and almost as an afterthought to the day. They were short logs of his musing, anger at being locked up, and then later his fear of Arthur finding out about him and killing him. He had almost felt like crying to read the scribble saying how Merlin had actually feared lighting candles for a week after the first sorceress had been burned in the court yard. The biggest thing, though, was the shock that went through him to find out that Merlin had never studied before he was locked away.

Then the anger came over him as he read that Gaius taught Merlin the words of the incantations needed to try and get the boy to control the wild side of his magic. Merlin, according to Gaius' journal, wasn't a sorcerer, but rather he was a warlock. A child who could do magic, powerful magic, from a very young age, and Merlin was even more special in that he could do his magic from birth. Merlin, in his journal, had thought he must have been cursed, but Gaius' journal told that it hadn't been a curse that the boy had been born with.

The sorrow filled pages of the physician countered the fear filled pages of the boy's. Arthur had read both of them as if he could hear their voices in their writings. Gaius calling the child a gift and Merlin calling himself a monster was hard for the king to read.

He read in Gaius' journal about his mother's death and the time his father had enacted the law against magic. The account had continued and Arthur was sure that his own memories must have been erased at some point during his childhood. He saw in the journal that Arthur and Merlin had been best friends, he remembered that much, but he couldn't figure out how the untrained magic user had not let magic slip during the time he was young. Arthur had gripped his head at that point and tried to remember if he could of any time where Merlin had used magic. He couldn't though, and the storm raged outside letting him know his friend was certainly very powerful.

Council meetings had happened two and three times a day. Refuges were coming from all corners of Albion. They were trying to evade the storm that had now covered all of the kingdoms. Crops were drowned, live stock had been drowned, some villages had been buried in landslides, and new lakes were emerging where people had once dwelled. The lords were begging for the kings to do things in every corner of the lands. Arthur had sent messages to the other monarchs asking if they knew what they could do. So far the only thing he had received back was to get people to higher ground and pray to God to let the storm end soon. Two of the magic using kings had even sent that, even though they knew Arthur's stance on magic, no sorcerer could end this plague. He knew, though, that what they had written was a lie. There was a sorcerer, or rather a warlock, who could end this terrible storm.

Arthur stood from his desk and popped his back in a few places with a good stretch. His servant quickly darted from making the bed to where Arthur was going to behind his dressing screen. He needed to dress quickly now since he had taken the small little nap at his desk over Merlin's last entry.

At last he was on his way to the council for their morning meeting. They had too many deaths now from the torrential downpour. He walked through the large double doors and into the room where everyone was sitting on either side of the long table. He took his place at the end of the table in the larger chair, the throne room type chair, and nodded the meeting to start.

The lords started to clamor all at once about the state of Camelot and the kingdom. They had too many refugees and not enough rations. Wood was now scarce to keep people warm since the rain and mist had seeped through to make everything too wet for burning. A cold, cough, and pneumonia had begun in the people as their lungs were being filled with the moisture of the air and their bodies trembled from the perpetual cold. If drowning and starvation didn't kill the people than the new sickness would surely do the final job of it.

Arthur looked over to his uncle at his right, "What do you suggest we do?" He needed guidance. This was not how he had thought his first week of reining would be like. He had imagined his best friend where his uncle now sat, but obviously that was not how fate had deemed his sovereignty to be.

The man looked troubled for a second being asked and then said slowly, "We need to finish this storm any way we can." Arthur sighed and looked at the grain in the table in front of him. The smooth sanding job had brought out the knots and patches of perfection. He nodded to his thoughts; he needed to sand and smooth his friend into letting the storm go.

"I will end this storm," he said definitely. "I will go out and find the one who created this storm and force its completion…"

"You cannot go alone, sire. It is too dangerous to approach the sorcerer," his uncle protested. He leaned forward and put a hand onto the king's shoulder, "Maybe I should go in your stead…"

"No!" Arthur said forcefully. He said in a softer tone, "No, Agravaine, I cannot allow anyone else to approach him." His uncle looked liked he had been slapped and Arthur continued, "I know you want to keep me safe, but I did cause his outburst." The older man nodded his understanding as he withdrew his hand from the shoulder. The other lords agreed with their king but insisted he bring alone someone else to keep him safe.

"I have a knight in mind and I think as long as it is only the two of us, then Merlin will listen to reason and release this curse," he said as he stood up and dismissed the council. He would leave at dawn the next day and try and find what the scouts they had out for the three days now hadn't. He knew he would be able to find the scared boy who had been forced to run from the citadel and he needed to tell him that he was sorry for his father's transgressions.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: okay, I am a few hours late. Sorry everyone! We did end up having a tornado just south of where I live on Thursday. It was an interesting time for my family as we waited out the storm in our hallway.

I had to re-watch Frozen again today (daughter forced me to) and I know for sure where I'm going on this story. Honestly, some of the extras on the disk of how and why and deleted scenes are also a bit of my thought process for this story.

I want to say that everyone who doesn't know me personally should be thanking my friend who has asked me three or four times yesterday and today if I have written yet. Hee hee. She will keep me going everyone! She even asked while were sitting the hall together as the radio announced the tornado when was I going to be updating? She'll keep me alive just to know the end of this story.

Please review everyone!


	11. Chapter 11

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin or Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Eleven

The small alcove inside of the three trees that held the young sorcerer was warm as his fire burned happily in the center. He impaled five large mushrooms onto a long stick and held them over the licking flames. Behind him in the dim light of the cave like area he had created shelves using vine made twine and long sticks. Using his magic he had forced branches to come out of the trees and turn into holding sticks. He really didn't want to embed anything into the living trees around him. The wild life around him had been kind enough to let him move in and so far peaceful. He did not want to be cruel to it just because he could master it.

The wind outside picked up and blew against his vine hanging door. The storm, which he had forced away from his small clearing, was starting to come in again. He decided he would let it for a little bit water the area. A crack of thunder sounded high above him, and he questioned his sanity living inside of the trees. Allowing his magic to encompass his body and flow through his veins, he pushed the static away from his home. It would be stupid to allow the lightning to cook him, really, when he had the power to at least push it away from where he was.

He took the mushrooms, his dinner, off of the stick and let them lay on a flat stone to cool. Standing up, he went outside to gather some water into a bucket he had created from clay he had found on the banks of a nearby river. As he left his little doorway and stood straight he came to stare at three deer just feet in front of him. Their black eyes looked at him as they waited for possible danger. Two does and the fawn were posed to retreat back into the stormy forest as the rain started to finally come into the clearing around them.

Merlin smiled to himself and just watched the deer as they became comfortable again and ate the green lush grass he had pushed from the ground just the other day where there had been nothing. All was right in his world now, even if he missed Arthur coming to tell him stories from the other side of the door in the castle. Here Arthur could not kill him for what he could not control. Here he was one with the animals and the magic inside.

~*~Ma~*~

The king sat on his horse while his blond haired knight he had chosen mounted beside him. He looked up at the staff, his nobles, Morgana and his uncle. "Morgana I want you to help uncle while I'm gone," he called to his adopted sister.

She nodded, "You just make sure you return safe, Arthur. We'll handle everything here."

They bowed to him as the knight and king took off into the now misting rain. They rushed through the gates and passed the lines of migrants coming into Camelot. The people were fleeing to higher ground or straight for their capitals all around Albion. The castles had been built high on top of hills for protections and currently it was the only way to save everyone from the mass flooding. The king ignored the cries from the hungry children and the signs of the dead along the road.

He needed to find Merlin and make him stop this horrible storm before it killed everyone.

"How are we going to find him, sire?" the knight asked as they slowed their gait to a walk. The rain started to pick up again and Arthur wished they didn't have to be out in it.

"We will first go to where he is from and then follow up the boarder. There have been reports of areas where the storm hasn't touched, but no one can actually get into the area," Arthur said. "It's alright, Leon. We'll find him and I'm sure he'll stop this when he learns how much it is harming people."

"But he's a sorcerer…" Leon started as he followed slightly behind the king's horse.

"He's also my friend and what I can remember from our childhood," he thought bitterly to add to himself that he really should have more memories and somewhere they had been blocked, "he isn't bad. This has to be some horrible mistake and I'm sure he'll fix it once he realizes what he has done." They continued on in silence. The monarch kept trying to think of what had happened before his mother's death. He couldn't remember a single instance in his entire childhood about magic, and yet he knew that Uther hadn't attacked magic until after his mother's death.

Had he known about Merlin's magic as a child? He could remember playing with the other boy, but parts were fuzzy. He knew that as people aged their childhoods disappeared or only significant memories stood out. Yet, he also knew that somewhere along the line he had to have been exposed to magic. Not a single memory of his father's court sorcerer or his best friend preforming magic.

His memories did include the purge. They included his mother's funeral and a few vague memories of his mother alive. He remembered all magic after his mother's death in snips and pieces before the users were sentenced to death.

Deciding that thinking about sorcery was useless at the current time he focused his thoughts on his friend. His memories were again haphazard at best, but he remembered playing in the castle on cool days. Merlin would laugh as they ran through the corridors and he was always a clumsy sort as well. He remembered scaring him from a hiding place at one time during a particular game of hide and seek; he remembered butterflies of beautiful colors surrounding them on a wonderful summer day.

As the wind picked up and turned each drop into pins he focused on the memory of the warm day with a smiling best friend before he had been locked away. He needed to find that friend again. He wanted to see those days again and he wanted to have a smiling best friend again.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: I think maybe I'm jinxing my area by writing about such a large scale storm! Really, weeks now of rain, thunder storms, and even last week tornadoes? Yeah, and more to come! LOL!

Please remember that I am writing this off the top of my head. I am trying to find mistakes as I write, but they are there still. Also, there is no outline. If someone shoots me an awesome suggestion it could end up in this story!

Please review! Tell me what you think?


	12. Chapter 12

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin or Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Twelve

He was cold, wet and just miserable. He didn't mention it, though, since he knew Leon wouldn't want to hear his king complain. He also had too much pride and too much of being a man shoved down his throat for the words to come to the surface. He knew the knight was also thinking the same things, though, as they huddled into their cloaks on top of their horses. The rain had once again become a fine mist that they breathed in through their mouths. The temperature around their kingdom had dropped to almost freezing as the cold rain continued to pour down from the black clouds above. Without the sun to heat up the ground and bring about the much needed warmth, the area was turning into a constant almost freezing way. They were soaked and had spent the night sitting on a sopping wet log with no fire. There wasn't any dry wood available any longer in all of Albion. The damp had leaked into every nook and cranny and even into the barns where farmers usually stored their wood to dry.

Arthur sighed against the buckle on his cloak and gripped his reigns harder to keep hold from the frozen feeling in his fingers. Leon came up next to him and asked, "Do you think we'll find him?"

"I'm sure he is somewhere warm, sunny, and probably has a nice fire going. He's probably dry," Arthur groaned. He hadn't meant for it to come out as a whine, but he couldn't help it.

"Will killing him stop this storm?" Leon ignored the complaint and continued.

"Killing him?" Arthur turned in his seat to look at his knight, "I'm not going to kill him Leon. I'm going to…"

He didn't get to finish as a large crack of lightning sounded right above them. It smashed into the top of a tree. Both horses reared up, tossed their riders and took off in a frenzy race into the trees. The young men looked up at the burning top of the tree as the rain decided to become a torrent once again. The fire was put out quickly by nature herself and the men both looked at each other as they stood up to now walk their journey.

"I'll kill him," Arthur grumbled as their boots sank into the muddy road. Leon snorted and shook his head.

~*~Ma~*~

They came into the village right before nightfall, which had been happening earlier due to the cloud cover than was normal for their time of year. Ealdor wasn't a part of Camelot's kingdom, but it was the birthplace for Arthur's best friend. He had hoped that his friend would have retreated back to it when he ran from the castle. As he looked around at the dripping roofs and cold buildings, though, he knew his assumption had been wrong. The doors to every one of the houses were left open and he could hear the people coughing inside their dwellings. The rain sickness was very obvious as they made their way down the only road through the center of the village. All of the houses were built simply with wood, none had any glass windows and the storm shutters were swinging loose on some of them, and the dirt floors he could see were a flooded mess.

Arthur continued through with Leon right behind him as they came to the last house on the path. A sandy haired man was shaking out a blanket in front of his door, and Arthur decided he would probably be best to answer questions. "You there," he called out. The boy, because he was obviously younger than Arthur by a few years, stopped his cleaning and looked up suspiciously at the knights. The king continued as he came in front of the peasant, "Have you seen a boy, about your age, come through here with dark hair and bright blue eyes? He would have come through in the last five days or so?"

The boy turned to his front door and hung his blanket over the back of a chair, "Nope. No one is coming through here. We're on the outskirts of the kingdom, and everyone is going to the castle to escape the weather."

Arthur continued with another question, "Is Hunith or Balinor still in this village?" He hoped maybe Merlin's parents could help him figure out where the sorcerer had fled.

The boy looked confused for a second, "Well, from what I know, they were killed during the purge when our king made an alliance with the king of Camelot over ten years ago. I don't know which one, but I think they had magic or at least one of them did." The boy shrugged and went back into his home. The door shut on both of the knights' faces.

Arthur felt like collapsing into the puddles he was standing in, but his brain was rushing again. His father had killed Merlin's parents? Did Merlin know? Did Merlin hate him for what his father had done?

Leon grabbed onto his shoulder and they both started to go back through the town again. They needed to wander back into Camelot's lands and follow the border to where the rumors of nice weather had been sent. Their journey wasn't over yet, it would seem, and now Arthur wondered what he would actually say to Merlin when he saw him again. How could he ever apologize for the horrible things his father did? Could Arthur trust his friend enough to even allow him to return with magic? His thoughts became even more conflicted.

His father had tortured and harmed his friend, but was it because his friend deserved it for being a sorcerer? Did he really believe that magic was bad? Could Merlin be bad? He knew his friend's journal inside and out, but now the question really was going to need to be answered: Was he going to follow the law set and kill his friend when he saw him?

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Jesusfreak124 wanted to know where Merlin's parents are, so I decided to have the answer in Ealdor.

Everyone else's questions cannot be answered without giving away the story, so I am just going to have to say: Wait and see!

I will update again soon. I am not going to be working for a bit so I will have time to write.

Please review. Again, if there's a suggestion or question that I can fit into the story I will!


	13. Chapter 13

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own BBC Merlin or Disney's Frozen

A/N: my computer is out of commission for a bit. I am trying to fix it, but it has me grinding my teeth. This was written on my phone. Any mistakes are mine or autocorrect.

Chapter Thirteen

They trudged through the muck of what was once a road toward where the rumors of dry land had been reported. No one was able to get into the clearing that they had seen from another ridge had sun shining. Every person had tried to get through the maze the vines and trees and underbrush had given, but each attempt had just left people confused. They would find themselves on the other side of the clearing or just completely back where they had started from. Arthur was sure that Merlin had created the area just for him. He wondered why the sorcerer continued to plague the lands with the rain, though?

They came over a short hill to see just at the valley before the climb of another hill was a wagon. The horse pulling it was nervous and exhausted. The occupants were out and trying to get the wheels to turn to make it up the other side. One of the two wagon owners slipped on the mud as he pushed against the rear of the cart. A string of cuss words left the mouth of the young man as the knights approached.

The man stood up again and went back to his straining. Arthur took charge knowing that the two wouldn't get the large wheels out of the thick mud alone, "Get that horse calmed and ready to pull on my mark." He pointed to the person who was covered in a peasants cloak and hood at the front of the wheels. The person nodded and went to the mare to sooth her.

The rain fell steady but light. The king just hoped it didn't open up on them yet. "Ready!" he called out as he took up next to the back wheel along with Leon. "Go!"

The soaked people strained against the flooded wood and they felt it starts to give. Slowly with every grunt the wagon moved on and finally up the hill to the crest. The person guiding the horse forced her to pull it to the top as the men leaned down to the heave against their knees.

The three gathered their breath and made to the now still wagon. Arthur looked it over to see what it's cargo was. The metal inside clanked against each other as the mare shifted in her harness.

"Thank you friend," the man who had pushed from behind said as he pulled his hood back and offered his hand to the king. Arthur grasped it and nodded. The man was of a dark complexion and strength burned in his brown eyes. "My name is Elyan. I am a blacksmith. This wagon, unfortunately, is a tad heavy for these mud trails," he shook his head and then turned to the other person, "This is my sister, Guinevere." The other person lowered her hood. Her hair was pulled back but dark ringlettes fell around and out of the tie. The rain clung to her like the rest of them and Arthur realized she was wearing trousers and not a dress.

He turned back to the brother, "Are you trying to flee the storm?" The man nodded looking grim.

"I can't keep a fire going since the wet has creeped into every wood we had set to dry last year. There isn't a place around that can keep a fire going, let alone a fire hot enough to work metal," the man shook his head and sighed.

"You are going the wrong way to reach Camelot," Leon pointed back toward where they had come from.

The woman, Guinevere, spoke, "We know the castles are crowded and there is not a way for everyone to survive like that. If sickness hasn't hit yet than everyone bunched together will surely spread something." Arthur nodded. He had been hoping to find Merlin before that happened.

"I am Arthur and this is Leon. We are on our way to stop this rain," the king said.

"Are you knights?" Guinevere asked. They nodded. She continued, "...and you know what started this plague?"

"Yes. A sorcerer has set this on us. We are going to go and get him to stop this," Leon said.

"How about we join together. There is strength in numbers," Arthur suggested.

The man and woman looked at each other before Elyan nodded and they continued down the road toward the next town.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: I had this chapter written out and ready... Then everything came crashing. So, I don't like my rewrite. I also don't like writing on my phone.

Who do you think is going to make an appearance next?


	14. Chapter 14

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own BBC Merlin or Disney's Frozen

Chapter Fourteen

They decided to take turns in the wagon's chair during their adventure. Leon was walking in front of the chestnut mare trying to keep her walking and pulling through the treacherous mud. Elyan was behind the wagon to push her a bit at points to keep her going over rocks and deep holes. Arthur had the reigns as Guinevere relaxed next to him.

"Do you know the sorcerer who started this?" Guinevere asked the man beside her. Leon and Arthur had kept with them just being knights and didn't think it would be wise to let them know Arthur was royalty.

"Yes, I did know him," the blond said over the patter of rain drops.

The woman shifted a bit so that her hood wouldn't hide the profile of the monarch. "Do you know why he did this curse?" she asked slowly. She really didn't know whether she should be prying or not, but her curiosity was peaked. "I mean, not that I think you had anything to do with it…" she said hurryingly to reassure the man that she didn't mean to place blame.

"I am to blame," he muttered just loud enough for her to hear. The wagon jerked a bit over a rock that hadn't been sunk into the soil yet. "I… I didn't know he was a sorcerer," he continued, "We used to be very close as friends, but I didn't know he could do magic. He was locked away when King Uther started his purge against magic, so I probably should have guessed something at the time. I was just a kid, though."

He was rambling a bit, she knew, but she let him continue. She could tell these thoughts had probably been beating into his head for the past week or longer. He cleared his throat, "I dragged him out for… for the king's coronation. I thought maybe he needed to not be locked away anymore."

"How long was he locked away for?" Guinevere asked as she tried to do the math into her own head. "Oh God… that is a long time! Did he not have any company during his imprisonment?"

He couldn't look at her as he studied his boots against the board. She gasped and he elaborated whatever she had been thinking, "I visited him, but I never saw him out of his bed chambers. His uncle was part of the court, but he wouldn't let me in farther than the main room. That was if he even let me in at all, really. Merlin, that is the sorcerer's name, only saw his uncle during all of those years."

Silence fell on them all as the panting of Leon, Elyan and the horse rang through the chilled air. The hoofs beat down in a steady pattern against the chiming of the drops of rain into puddles. There hadn't been any lightning or thunder for almost the whole day now, but that wasn't very promising for what kind of night lay ahead.

The woman brought a hand to stroke back a stray black ringlette of hair, "You brought a hermit into a party full of people who would kill him for him being a sorcerer?" She was astounded and shocked.

"I didn't know he was a sorcerer. I thought he was sick while growing up and then maybe just shy now," Arthur defended himself. Guinevere looked over at him with incredulous eyes. He sighed, "I know it sounds stupid now, but it's the truth. I didn't know."

"I agree you didn't know about him being a sorcerer, but why would you drag a hermit into a party filled with knights, nobles, and royalty?" With her saying it that way he held his breath as he thought back to the incident. She was right, really; just as Morgana had been right at the party to tell him to leave the younger boy alone. "What set him off?" she asked.

He breathed in deeply and shook his head. He knew what had done it, of course, "I did. I tried to get him to participate in the fun. I didn't know he would…" he gestured to the area around them with one large sweep of his arm.

They sat in uncomfortable silence as they both digested their conversation. He really felt stupid and guilty as she tried to figure out the story. Both of their minds swirled in the information.

In front of them the horse gave a soft neigh and her ears started to swivel around frantically. Her flank twitched. Her rear end seemed to want to go faster than her front legs. Arthur gripped the reigns tighter through his soaked gloves as Leon looked up into the whites of the eyes of the beast. Something was wrong and the horse was giving her warning.

Elyan jumped onto the back of the wagon flap and locked his legs around the hinges. Leon grabbed onto the front of the horse's bit as their eyes all scanned the forest around them to find the sudden danger. The horse bucked a bit, but Leon slowed her to a pace that allowed them to hear better through the dripping.

They soon wished they hadn't even slowed down. Coming fast behind them was a swarm of creatures larger than the horse in front of their carriage. They ran on six spindly legs and had large crab like claws as their eighth appendage. They seemed to scurry with their body close to the ground, but their tail came up curled behind them. On the end of the tail was a large bulb and a sharp point.

The four travelers didn't need to see more to know these were dangerous creatures. Quickly Arthur slapped the reigns as Leon jumped onto the back of the horse. They took off in a flash down the decrepit road. Elyan yelled something as he grabbed a sword from his stash and the metal clang against a stinger from one of the creatures.

"Arthur!" Leon yelled out as he pointed the best he could to in front of them. A drop was seen and Arthur knew that their wagon wouldn't be able to turn fast enough at their break neck speed. There was another side to the sudden gully and there was only one thing left to do.

"Leon, come here!" Arthur commanded. Leon scrambled to the wagon as Arthur picked up Guinevere who had been struggling to fight against her own monster with a sword from the black smith wagon. With all of his strength, the king tossed the woman onto the back of the horse. With a large swoop of his right arm her unsheathed his own sword and through the ropes that bound the horse to the transport. The men felt the wagon lurch without its guide and Guinevere called out to her brother as the horse jumped into the air. The men rushed to the front of the wagon and all leapt as it fell from beneath their feet into a rushing river below. Grabbing onto vines and roots they held fast against the side of the muddy ravine. Using every bit of muscle they had in their arms they shimmied up to the lip and heaved themselves to safety.

Panting with the rain starting to rush down they watched as the eight legged creatures fell to their own doom below. Arthur was glad that the beasts couldn't jump. He really didn't know what they would have done if they had been able to make the leap like the horse had.

He fell his head back against the soggy soil and shut his eyes. He would have nightmares for weeks after this, he was sure.

"All of my hard work," Elyan moaned as he peered down over the side to look at the pieces of wood rushing down the swollen river. His sister jumped down from the back of their horse to lay a comforting hand against his shoulder. "Now how am I to make a living?"

"I'll replace it," Arthur said with his eyes still closed. The siblings looked over at the knight and then each other in despair. Even a knight wouldn't be able to afford a wagon filled with all of the merchandise they had just lost. The weeks of work the two had put into each weapon, cook ware, and metal trinket was now making its way into free hands.

Leon nodded to them that the other knight would be good on his promise. They decided without speaking that they would rest for a while right where they all were.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: My computer is working again! YAY! I fixed it myself so it did take a bit longer. Sorry everyone.

So, anyone ready for a new member to join the group yet?

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorite and followed this story so far. I am beyond surprised at the attention this is receiving. I honestly didn't think this would get so many people liking it! Surprise for me! Yay! This has over 100 followers! I don't think anything I have ever written has been this popular before.

Please continue to review. Tell me what you think!


	15. Chapter 15

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter Fifteen

Arthur Pendragon felt the chill of the night as he tried to shiver off the cold wet rain coming down hard onto his chain mail. It seeped through to the tunic below and he was sure now that they would never be dry again. He felt despair running through him suddenly. The wishing for a fire wasn't working and sleep was eluding the king of Camelot. His companions still were all awake as well drowning in their own soggy clothing and thoughts.

The sky started to creep into a light pattern that suggested a day breaking beyond the clouds above them all. It had been a long night without any comfort or rest for the weary travelers. Standing up onto sore feet they all moved at once and started on their way in silence through the dense woods. They had no food left, no supplies but what they had had on their bodies, and they could feel that their spirit for their mission had also fallen into the ravine. Guinevere climbed onto the mare's back and Elyan took what was left of the bridle to guide the horse. Leon sighed against his own depression and they all started off toward the rumored place that Merlin was.

They had been walking for most of the day when they came to the top of a large hill and looked down into a valley. The sight did nothing to help their melancholy. The woman on the horse gasped as she brought her hands to her lips to stop from bursting into tears. Down below the houses were submerged to their roofs in rushing water as the rain had created a small lake where people had once lived.

"We'll get no help here," Arthur said sadly as he turned and they walked further into the trees. The rest of them took one last look with little hope that the people had escaped before the flood happened, and they followed the monarch onto the next village.

~*~ Ma ~*~

The next village was faring better than the sunken one they had seen the day before. Leon led them onto the muddy street and onward to the first building with signs of life. The sky above them crashed with bright white light and a large rumble shook the wood planks of the walls around them. Elyan helped his sister down from the horse and she nodded to them as the men went into the tavern where noise was gathered.

As soon as they opened the door silence greeted them with stares of men all around. A tavern woman nodded to them kindly as they found a small table in the corner beside a game of dice. Noise started up again as mugs drained down throats and men yelled with slurred tongues. A maiden took their orders for mead and left to gather them all their own pints.

"How do we do this, Arthur?" Leon asked. "We can't just out right ask these people if they've seen him." He smiled brightly to the serving woman as she gave them their drink and left quickly with her pay the blond knight had put onto the wood before her.

"It's probably guaranteed that they've heard of the clearing, though," Elyan supplied before taking a small sip of his alcohol. They didn't want to get drunk, but it would have been suspicious if they hadn't ordered.

A man with long brown and wavy hair suddenly leaned back in his chair from the table next to them. The back hit their table hard shaking their pints to spill in front of them. Arthur went to yell at him before he saw that the man hadn't even realized he had done anything to their area.

"I do not cheat! You are just not as good as I!" he yelled at his companions as he gathered coins into his purse hanging around his belt. The other men all stood from the table and the travelers realized this rude rogue was certainly smaller than his gambling companions. He was picking a fight with men he couldn't possibly win against.

Arthur couldn't really allow someone else to be harmed so he stood as well and tried to defuse the situation, "Men, I'm sure you will get your chance to win against him later this evening." They only glanced at the blond before a large meaty fist came against the wavy haired man.

The brawl was messy. That was the only way to describe what happened in the five minute span it took for the three gamblers to be out done and the rest of the tavern to be demolished by almost thirty drunks. The three travelers had fought hard against the gamblers with the rogue smashing just as many chairs and tankards alongside them. A man who hadn't even been part of the gambling fiasco went to smash a piece of wood into Arthur's back when a large table was tossed onto the poor man by a guy who was three times larger than any knight Arthur had fought with in his ranks. Brought out of his shock as another man joined the giant in helping their fight was when the entire tavern had got into the mass quarrel.

By the end of it the tavern keep was in tears as he saw the damage and the women were in shock. The travelers and the three who had fought alongside them, including the one who had started the fight, all ran out into the storm to escape from the anger of the owner. Leon gave a shrill whistle as they ran quickly from the town and the sound of the hooves from their horse came behind them as Guinevere rode out to meet them. "We need to leave quickly," Arthur said as they rushed to the cover of the forests under brush.

Panting as night started to encroach on them all they stopped in a small clearing. The man with the long wavy hair laughed suddenly into the sound of the pouring rain. "That was the best fight I have ever been in," he announced jovially.

"This happens often?" the man with like hair, but shorter cut, asked incredulously to the rogue. The giant started to laugh as he collapsed to the ground. Soon everyone was laughing except for a very confused Guinevere.

The trouble maker nodded his head after finally being able to catch his breath as he introduced himself to everyone, "The name is Gwaine. Thank you for helping me back there."

The man who had saved Arthur spoke, "I am Percival. This is Lancelot."

Lancelot nodded his head and finally caught the gaze of the woman in their group before turning suddenly to the gambler, "You are very welcome."

Arthur took lead of the travelers as he introduced everyone. After the lady's introduction Lancelot took her hand and gave it a light kiss, "Pleasure is mine, my lady."

Gwaine laughed and nudged the noble man, "Ah, she seems the type to want men who have style." He took her hand from Lancelot and kissed the back the same, "and I am one who has style."

Guinevere blushed as she saw her brother, and surprisingly Arthur, both bristle to how the men were unashamedly flirting with her. She took her hand back as Gwaine smirked and Lancelot frowned at the man who had moved him.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry everyone. I've been trying to get my novel out and ready for publication. I won't leave this for that long again!

Thank you to all of my reviews, likes, and follows. You guys are awesome! Review this chapter, too, please?


	16. Chapter 16

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter Sixteen

To diffuse the situation quickly Percival took action, "Where are you headed?"

Leon looked at the Arthur, who gave a slight nod, and answered, "We are searching for the sorcerer who caused the storm."

Gwaine dropped his smile, "In the clearing that is dry?" Arthur nodded. "I know where it is..."

"Tell us, please?" Guinevere interrupted. Her brown eyes pleaded with the gambler.

Gwaine became guarded, "I can show you, but I don't like the thought of someone being executed. If he can stop this without his death..."

"I never said the sorcerer was a man," Leon said as he crossed his arms.

"You didn't have to. I saw him. I wanted to be dry for a bit and sat in some bushes near the house he is in. Didn't seem that he wanted company, though, so I left him be."

"You have been in the clearing? I heard no one can get into it. They try as hard as they might, but become lost and tangled in the over growth." Lancelot also looked suspiciously at the rogue.

Gwaine shrugged but didn't give an answer. The steady beat of the rain began to increase as the drops became larger. They stood soaked looking at one another before the new comers to the group started to pull out rations and cloaks.

Lancelot and Elyan worked together with little voice as they tied the cloaks over branches. Percival saw they were creating a tent and went to grab two large logs for them to sit on underneath. Gwaine took the reins of the horse to tie her to a branch on a tree close by as Guinevere was shuffled into the more comfortable new tent by Arthur. Leon collected money from everyone and set back to the village to buy more rations for their group.

Once everyone was settled away from the loud patter of the falling water, Arthur spoke, "We won't hurt Merlin." Gwaine looked up from where he had been dumping water from his boots. "He was my friend before, and I don't think I could ever see him executed." Gwaine nodded and they all decided to get comfortable. Leon returned shortly with a pack full of more food rations and a thicker cloak for Guinevere.

"The clearing is a full day's walk from here toward the east. I hope he is a good friend because this storm had to have been created by some powerful magic," Gwaine said as he leaned against a tree trunk and slid to the soggy mud to shut his eyes.

"How powerful does a sorcerer need to be to do this?" Elyan asked.

Lancelot answered him, "Before the purge, according to stories I had heard growing up, the high priestesses could conjure weather for an hour or so. A group of them could bring a significant storm. For one man to do this would mean he is more powerful than they were in the height of their day."

The silence pushed against them as they mulled over this. Arthur remembered the journals and the struggle he had read in them. He didn't realize, though, that Merlin could ever be that strong. The skinny and pale physicians helper was more powerful than the king of Camelot. It sent chills down Arthur's spine, and he fought the urge to panic. He chanted in his head over and over, 'Merlin is my friend.'

~*~ Ma ~*~

The courtyard was amass with people of all ages. The screams of children and weeping mothers assaulted her ears as she rushed from them all toward the main doors. She heard people say, "My lady," as they bowed but she hadn't the time to greet them. She needed to find out what was happening quickly.

Her pace was determined as she strode into the council room where Lord Aggrevaine was bellowing, "I know what his Majesty's request was, but we are running out of supplies!" A few of the lords were still nodding as Morgana made her way to the man's side. The lords all looked at her and bowed their heads as she turned onto the leader.

"Why are there children dying outside on the streets of Camelot?" She waved towards the towering windows that chimed with each drop of rain.

"My lady, you needn't concern..."

"I obviously do!" she pointed to the men with her finger in a sweeping motion as she continued, "When Arthur returns he will not be pleased to find we have forced a mutiny of the masses by starvation of their youth!" She tossed her long dark hair aside as she came to stand next to the Lord, "Fix it Aggravaine!" Her glare sent fear into the pit of all of the men. With her piece said she once again stormed through the castle.

Outside the weather fumed with her. As she flowed down the stairs to the court yard, a clatter of shouts and hooves parted the sea of peasants. Two horses without riders came barreling toward the royal stables. Morgana brought her hands to her chest and her eyes widened in shock as a guard yelled out, "It's the kings mount!"

~*~ Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: This isn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I thought that a wonderful stopping point.

Thank you for your patience everyone! Next chapter will be out tomorrow (giving time for people to review this!)

Please go and like my Facebook if you want: France Gamble. One of my awesome fans have created a parody song for this story and the link to it is on my Facebook.


	17. Chapter 17

The Storm

Chapter 17

The sound of knocking echoed in the chamber and the candles flickered suddenly on the table in front of her. She sighed and called out to enter. As the door opened the flames stilled once again and she went back to her writing. A young man of about 16 entered the room in a full chain mail and a flowing red banner cloak. He bowed his head, "My lady?"

She looked up at the black hair and smiled as she stood, "Mordred, my dear! No need to be so proper! We're friends, right?"

He nodded and smiled. His green eyes flowed with adoration for the woman in front of him. "Morgana, what did you need me for?" his voice belied his age to maybe even that of a younger child.

Morgana pitied the boy, she really did. He had been orphaned so young, but she was lucky enough to have hid him during most of the purge and then convince Agravaine to train him into the knighthood. Without her help and the love the former king had had for his ward, she would have never been able to keep the child safe. Then again, in light of the newest developments with the boy Merlin, maybe she should have just went to Uther with the child in front of her. Shaking away her thoughts she smiled brighter and took the knights hands into her own. "I need him found, Mordred. I can trust no one else with this task. Please, tell only a handful of knights and search him out yourself," her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "He needs to be found alive. Bring him back here alive."

The boy nodded his head, let go of her hands and with on last smile and short bow, he swept from the room to complete his task.

As the door shut behind with a resounding thud her smile dropped. Turning angrily toward the servant's door she snapped, "Agravaine, I told you before that spying was a despicable act. One not becoming of a noble."

THe man came out from the shadow of the door and bowed his head, "My lady. I did not mean to cause injustice."

"Then what is it?" Morgana sighed as she huffed back into her chair to continue writing.

"Why send the boy to get him?" Agravaine asked as he walked over into the candle light.

"We need to stop this storm. You know the people cannot continue this way any longer. Without him we are not able to continue any longer, either..." she paused and looked up at him. "Why did you argue with me in the conference?"

"I did so to keep the council men contained... My lady, why did you burst in like that? We could have discussed this at a later date and still you could have sent Mordred without my consent. You needn't have had to take my pride like that in front of the men," Agravaine stopped suddenly and looked terrified. "I apologize. I didn't..."

"You did," she said. They stayed in silence for a minute. The candles again flickered as she looked up at the regent, "You may leave now. I'll discuss things with you again later."

He bowed low and quickly strode out of the room before he could feel her wrath.

~*~Ma~*~

The king was soaked and in a sour mood when they were walking once again over another hill. They had just crossed a newly formed stream and the rain was once again large drops. They were heavy with the water and exhausted from the quest. Gwaine's voice rang through the sound of the downpour, "One more hill and we'll see it!" Arthur felt his shoulders sag a bit with the good news. They were almost there and soon Merlin would just stop this horrible storm.

At the top of the crest they saw the most glorious sight ever. A large hole in the clouds shone down golden light into the tree line just beyond them. It really didn't seem that difficult to reach, either. A few of the guys smiled at the sight and Guinevere giggled from the sadle. They were almost there.

They walked faster as they rushed to meet the new tree line. As they stopped in front of the large trunks Gwaine turned to look at everyone. "One thing before we enter," he said. "You need to trust me to lead the way. No matter which way you think I'm taking you," the last bit was said while staring into Arthur's eyes. The king narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Leon didn't wait for the monarch to protest, "Remember everyone that Gwaine is the only person we know who has been able to enter the clearing where the sorcerer lives." Arthur still didn't break eye contact with the rogue drunk as he nodded his consent.

Guinevere dismounted from the sadle and tied the horse to a limb. As one they followed into the thick brush.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry everyone. I thought I had already posted this chapter back in August. I didn't. I also don't write during September. I'm usually too depressed to do anything during that month, so nothing was out or seen to not be out until now.

Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I am going to be back on updating often again. I want to have this finished, or at least fully typed out, before November. I am once again going to do NaNoWriMo. I will be taking my lovely story "Beautiful Curse AvDevjyp" and turning it into an original novel! YAY!

I'm going to try to type another chapter again tonight for this and get it up. No promises, though. Please review! Remember to check my facebook for more information on things going on and just some awesomeness.


	18. Chapter 18

The Storm

Chapter 18

Arthur saw Guinevere yawning next to her brother as they struggled further into the now dense brush. Lancelot stumbled into the back of Gwaine for the fifth time since they had entered the forest. Gwaine mumbled something, but they all knew it would be hazardous if any of them went further apart. It was hard enough on them trying to walk through the ferns and stay in each other's sights. The king sighed as they once again stumbled past a large tree. They came out the other side and he looked up to search for the bright sun again. In front of him were dark clouds and over to the left of his vision was the bright golden light they sought. "Gwaine!" he called out.

The rogue stopped and everyone turned to where Arthur pointed. Looking back down at the monarch from his outstretched hand the rogue said, "Trust?"

Leon looked over to the light beams that his king pointed to and then over to the darkened sky the drunk was leading them toward, "Arthur, we promised." The golden-haired man nodded and waved his hand in a gesture for them to continue.

Gwaine grumbled again and they marched on. Far in the distance the sky grumbled along with them. They were sure the clouds would open again and down pour onto them all. They shivered with the thought.

As the sky gave a large burst of light and the resounding crack, they burst through the foliage. Behind them they heard the sound of the large droplets falling, but where they stood was dry. It was like they had walked through the curtain at a waterfall. It caused a few to stumble.

There standing in front of them was a few deer, a unicorn, and a bear all drinking from a stream caused by the rain falling on one side of the clearing to the other. They all stared for a second before Guinevere giggled at the feeling of finally being dry. The men all smiled as well and congradulated Gwaine for getting them in. They all felt elation at their freedom from the storm.

Arthus broke away from the small celebration and looked farther into the clear. He noticed a large tree, or rather three trees twined together almost unnaturally, to create a structure. It looked like a house almost. The others followed as he stumbled slowly toward the abode. hearing their feet crunch against the dry green grass made him realize he had company. His body turned quickly and blue eyes gazed at the crowd. "Uh," he started and gathered his thoughts quickly, "I don't think you all should be with me when I confront him."

"Why not?" Gwaine demanded to know while he folded his arms. "I got you here!"

"And I sent him here with his fear by throwing him into a crowd in the first place," Arthur admitted. He looked at Guinevere who nodded. She turned to everyone and with her own scowl everyone else nodded too. They didn't know the story like Elyan, Leon and she did, but they could see that Arthur really did need to go in on his own.

"We will only wait for a bit, Arthur. If you don't return soon we will come for you. Remember, he is a sorcerer. He is dangerous," Leon said as he clasped a comforting hand onto the monarch's shoulder. Arthur gave a quick nod of his golden head and turned back to the tree.

He passed by the animals and watched as they closely eyed him, but they never moved to flee. They felt very safe in this haven from the storm. His body gave tingles as he approached the house of his friend. The magic was thick in the air. He reached the vines covering the entrance to the small tower. he reached forward and parted them to enter inside. "Merlin?" he called into the dim lighten main area.

A gasp was heard and he looked up the spiral wooden stairs that followed the path of the spiral walls. A landing was about ten feet above where the king stood and there stood the sorcerer. Merlin's eyes were wide in shock and a bit of fear. "What are you doing here?" the dark haired man asked.

"Idiot. I am here to rescue a maiden it seems. Nice tower you made for yourself," Arthur said as he crossed his arms on his chest.

Merlin scowled as he rushed down the steps to the main floor, "Really Arthur, how did you find me?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, "The bright sun. You have the only clearing in all of Albion! It doesn't take a genius to find you."

"Good thing you're not one, then," Merlin muttered. Arthur glared a bit at him as he continued, "How did you get in here? I portected this space." Both men stood threatening to each other and Arthur realized this wasn't how he had meant this meeting to go.

"Merin, I need you to return with me," he told the other man without answering his question.

The warlock shook his head and pushed passed the royal toward the vine covered door. He pushed through while talking, "I'm not going to return to just be put on a pyre! I refuse to be executed. Here... here I am finally free. I don't want to live in solitude within the confines of walls anymore. This is beautiful, free, and I don't want to return to my imprisonment!" Arthur followed out fast behind him.

"You have to come back! The storm is killing people," he grabbed onto the younger man's peasant shirt and forced him to stop. He didn't want him to leave the place until he could tell him about his companions, but he realized too late that they had left the home.

Merlin's eyes widened as he spotted the men and woman waiting on the other side of the clearing. From the distance he couldn't be certain, but he still rounded onto his old friend, "You brought your knights with you to kill me?!"

"No..." Arthur started, but Merlin continued.

"I can't stop the storm! I don't even know how I started it! I have never done magic like that before! What you see here is the only deliberate magic I have done in years! I cannot help you! Are you going to kill me now?" he screamed.

Arthur went to stop the magic user from returning to the house. "You need to stop it!" he yelled.

"I can't! I won't!" Merlin yelled back. Arthur didn't know what to do, so he did the only thing he could think at that moment - he pushed Merlin to the ground, straight onto his backside. It was a childish thing, he knew, but he was angry that his friend didn't care about the people dying across the land.

He was wrong. Merlin did care, but he really didn't know how to stop something that he didn't even know how he started. His rear end shot pain through up his back, but his pride hurt more. His chest ached suddenly from feeling betrayed by the only voice he had heard for years. Arthus yelled at him some more, "I don't care if I have to kill you! Stop this storm! Stop being a sorcerer!" Both of their eyes widened as the king had said something he couldn't take back. He didn't mean it, but Merlin was certain he did deep inside.

Both sets of blue eyes were shocked at such harsh words. Quickly Arthur went to apologize as he heard his companions come running to them throuigh the clearing. Merlin's eyes, though, went dark. "Get out," he grounded out. Slowly he stood from the ground and didn't take his eyes away from his enemy. "Get out, Arthur!" he yelled.

"Merlin..." the king started.

The warlock felt another stirring deep inside of him. Feeling trapped as he feared the knights would reach them soon and arrest him, he shouted into the bright sky above, "O drakon, e maia soi ftengometh tes'hup anankes!"

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry that this has taken so long! My computer has lost its ability to connect to the internet. Thankfully, I have gotten a keyboard for my tablet! I can write again! YAY!

So, this is about to go into a different course in a few chapters. Don't worry, it will not be exactly like Frozen for long. I have in mind a lovely ending that isn't all fluff like a Disney movie! Just a bit more in following that story line before I take it off onto my course!

Review! Tell me what you think? Thanks everyone!


	19. Chapter 19

The Storm

Chapter 19

A rhythmic thunder sounded through the sky as Mordred looked up. He saw a black shape fly high above him and he wondered if he had hallucinated. A dragon or something else? He thought hard to remember some of the books Morgana had given him about the creatures in the area.

It had to have been a dragon. He called for the knights to hurry and quickly they rushed their steeds into the driving rain. The wind soaked through their chain mail, but Mordred feared they wouldn't be in time.

~*~Ma~*~

Merlin rushed to his feet as a creatures of great size barreled toward them. Arthur yelled out, "Dragon!" Merlin didn't stay long where he had been pushed. His feet carried him into his home as the king's companions drew their weapons.

The maw of the beast opened and hot flame spewed forth. It created a barrier between the sorcerer and the travelers. His scales gleamed a dark red against the bright sun. The clouds came into the clearing for the first time in days as Merlin felt the fear trap into his heart again. He knew the dragon wouldn't harm him, for he also knew he had someone called the thing to that place, but he feared that Arthur would defeat it. If the king took out the dragon, then he could easily capture and kill Merlin. The other slight fear was that the dragon would kill the king. Even deep down inside of the brunette he felt the friendship was still there. He couldn't deny that Arthur had been there for him all of those years during his captivity.

The sounds of the battle were harsh against his ears as he snuck a peak through the vines. The men were holding well against the dragon. He could see that even the beast knew Merlin's heart, because he kept them at bay but did not go in for any serious injury. He hoped they would just tire and give up. He wanted to just be left alone.

If he had known how to stop the storm, he would have done it. He knew that people were dying. He was aware that people were going to die for possibly years to come even after the storm stopped. Homes were gone, fields were flooded, and food stores would be rotten or looted within the next few months. He wasn't the idiot the king called him. He knew the implications of having such a curse on the land. The problem was that he was also being truthful. He didn't know how to stop it. He didn't even know how he had cursed the land in the first place. He knew he had sent out some powerful magic during the celebrations, but he didn't know that it would cause such suffering. His magic could be unpredictable, but it had never been this full of malice before. He didn't understand it.

Honestly, even before he had only done damage by breaking vials or exploding candles when he had tried to suppress his magic. He had never done anything such as cursing an entire place. He wondered how his magic could have gotten to the point bring down the heavens on everyone in Albion.

The dragon roared suddenly. It reared up onto its back legs suddenly. Merlin saw a sword embedded deep into its hide of the front. Maneuvering the large body it struck out with the massive tail. The appendage collided with the blond king in a sickening crunch. Throwing the monarch far from the battle and into the tree line. Merlin thought for sure the man had been killed. The others saw their leader tossed and backed away from the fight. The woman, Merlin just really noticed her, ran for Arthur to prop him up and check on him. The rain came down harshly and drowned out the sounds.

Merlin almost ran to join the group to find out if his friend had been killed. They quickly gathered him up. One of the knights, a man with long wild hair, turned sad eyes toward the sorcerer and dragon. Then they rushed out of the now soaked clearing with the body of his king between them.

The dragon groaned and lay down onto the mud beneath. The boy ran out to him and quickly grabbed onto the hilt of the sword. "I have to remove it so I can heal it," he informed the beat. The dragon nodded in consent, but still screamed out when the blade was pulled from between his tough scales.

"It missed my heart, young warlock," the dragon spoke to him. He only glanced barely to the new friend as he pushed against the bleeding wound. He shoved his magic into the slash and tried to direct it to help. It didn't do much and the dragon chuckled, "You are not made to heal me, Merlin."

He stepped back, "How do you know my name?"

"You called me here. Shouldn't it be obvious that I would know who you are?" the dragon gave an odd toothy grin even as he settled down farther into the earth. "I am Kilgharrah. I am the last of my kind and you are the only of your kind," with that said the great golden eyes shut and he lay his large red scaled head down onto the ground. Deep breaths came through with a rumble and Merlin realized the dragon had fallen asleep.

Gathering his magic he forced the sky to open above his clearing once again and bring down sun. The little rain that had come through now was quickly soaking into the ground. The animals were weary of the massive magical creature laying outside of the tree house, but they still came out from hiding.

The sorcerer had a lot to think about. How did he call the dragon to him? It had been an instinct in him to do so and it had felt different than his chaotic magic. Why did Arthur have a woman among his knights? He knew his king wouldn't bring a woman along on a quest, so how did they end up with one in their group? He looked up to where the sun was shining in the blue sky above. The swirling of grey clouds could be seen on the edges of the tree tops. If he could clear away his little area, could he clear away the storm from all of Albion? No, probably not. He couldn't even heal his dragon of a sword wound. He wasn't powerful enough to save Albion from a curse. Even a curse he had someone put onto the land himself.

He leaned against the side of the dragon, being mindful of the wound that was still there but had stopped bleeding. He looked over at where Arthur had landed against the tree on the edge of the forest. Was the king dead? If he wasn't, would he just leave Merlin alone? Probably not. His blue eyes clouded over and he yawned before falling asleep against the warmth of the scaly hide.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry this is so late. Life has been hectic on my end. I won't bore you with details.

Remember, I have a facebook if you ever do want to know the details, though! Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I plan to bring the new one out a lot quicker than this one came out!


	20. Chapter 20

The Storm

France Gamble

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin BBC. I don't own Frozen, either.

Chapter Twenty

She couldn't stop worrying as they took turns carrying the golden haired knight, no king is what the sorcerer called him, out of the bundle of underbrush. No matter how gentle they tried to get him to safety they could all see that he was struggling. His pain had to have been high as he slightly coughed and groaned through their journey. As soon as they made it out of the sorcerer's protective gathering of trees she hurried over to create something that would block the downpour. Using vines and weaving techniques she usually reserved for making baskets and feet mats, she tied together branches of trees and ferns. It wasn't going to be a perfect covering, but she needed something to lay the man under.

Arthur's breathing had started to come in short bursts by the time they could hide him under her small roof. Leon looked to her in fear for the man's life and hope that maybe she could do something.

"I can't," she whispered back. The others were in varying states of shock, wonder, and even anger. Elyan was worried for his sister mostly, but worried what would happen if she couldn't save the king's life. Percival was tired, since he did most of the carrying of the man, and Lancelot was still in a bit of shock of discovering who this man really was. The ire was coming off of Gwaine, who was now pacing in the pouring rain and stomping into the mud fiercely.

"Bloody king, of all things," he muttered loudly after a large crack of thunder split the now darkening day. "Had to be helping a blasted noble!"

Leon went to stand up and confront the rogue, but Lancelot placed a well-meaning hand onto the knight's bicep. He shook his head and stood for the Camelotian.

Lancelot wasn't afraid of the dark haired man, but he certainly wasn't stupid. The drunk had thrown himself into a state. "Need a drink?" he asked as he approached like coming upon a wild animal. Gwaine stopped pacing and eyed him suspiciously.

"We have been together on this journey for about two weeks now, and suddenly you have a pint?" The man's anger was thrown into his words. It spoke volumes of warning and Lancelot understood the threat. Out of the corner of both of their eyes they saw Percival shift slightly. He was getting ready to break up the fight.

"I've been keeping it for special occasions. I had thought we would all like a bit after we stopped the storm, but now I think you need it now," he kept his voice level.

The men all eyed each other as the storm continued to fall down. The only break to their silence was a wheezing cough emitted by the king who still hadn't regained consciousness.

~*~Ma~*~

When the dragon awoke a bit later to the dry sun baking against his scales, he felt peace inside. Merlin opened his eyes as well and they both just enjoyed the peace away from the storm in silence. The sun was dropping beyond the far off gray clouds and they both knew night would be on them soon. Merlin wanted to sleep in his fern bed inside and not on the now dry ground, but he didn't want to leave yet.

"How do you know me?" he asked suddenly to the dragon. He shifted as the dragon carefully raised his head to regard the small sorcerer beside him. Well, the young man was small to the enormous dragon, at least.

"Your father before you was a Dragon Lord and since his death has come it was passed to you. I have been waiting for you to call me," a toothy grin was given, "Though I didn't think it would take you going against the king to do so."

"I'm sorry. He wants to kill me because I caused this storm," Merlin stood up and then looked away as the dragon tilted his head in confusion.

"I do not think he would kill you, Merlin. The king needs you," the dragon felt through the small bond they have that the black haired boy wasn't ready for this conversation quite yet.

Kilgharrah saw the boy shake his head suddenly as he imagined the thoughts running through it were immense. The child did not understand that his purpose was to be near the king. The dragon held his thoughts to himself, though. "Young warlock," he called out to gain the dragon lord's attention.

"What is a warlock?" Merlin asked suddenly. He still didn't look up. A shiver caught suddenly and he wrapped his arms around himself. He was unsure and scared.

The little bit of advice that Kilgharrah was going to bestow onto the young man was drowned even further back into the dragon's brain. This boy wasn't the knowledgeable young man that Gaius had promised would be there to call him when he was able to. This was a terrified child hidden within the confines of an adult body. This boy had the magic only others could dream of, but without the teacher to show how to use it.

Merlin never found out the answer to his innocent question as the trees burst suddenly spewing out fifty soldiers. The dragon reared up to defend his master as Merlin went to hide inside the house. The warlock never made it into the confines of the tree fort. The dragon was so distracted by the swords, spears, and arrows that he didn't even notice when the young magic user snuck upon the dragon lord. Merlin only saw a sudden sight of green to gold before his own world turned black.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone! I was editing this and I am writing my original fiction still as well. My blog is almost up to date on this story, which will be updated once a week once that is caught up.

In other news, you can always search for my name on facebook and follow along with all of the stories I write and my life. My blog is linked with my facebook account and updates there as much as anything. Just search for France Gamble and like the page.

Happy school year to everyone who has started this September! My kids are back in school and now I have a bit more time to write again.

I also am going back to edit misspellings and basic grammar mistakes in previous chapters. That is what I get for writing using my phone and not a computer.

Please review!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin nor do I own Disney's Frozen.

Chapter Twenty-One

Gwaine, with a bit of drink now coursing through him, was more amiable than before. They sat the night away underneath Gwen's coverings, but they wouldn't be able to stay longer. The sun would come up and they would need to move forward to somewhere else. One thing they all knew, though, was that they hadn't been able to stop the sorcerer. Arthur wasn't able to convince the boy to cease the torrent raging around them. Flashes of lightning happened during the night and through its light they could all see that the king was very severely injured.

They took turns watching over their small camp during the night, though no one truly slept much. The wind began at some point before dawn and it shoved the rain further into drenching them. Guinevere shivered against the storm and also her own dark thoughts. The king had been gasping for each breath since the beginning of the side-ways rain. It seemed to have been entering into each intake and she feared it had entered his lungs. They had all seen pneumonia before and they had all seen what happens when it cannot be treated.

It was Gwaine, surprisingly, who came up with the solutions as soon as they saw that dawn had reached them. "The druids could probably heal him," he muttered. He still seemed sore that he had been helping the king, but he was also not going to grudgingly allow the man to die a horrible death such as this illness was giving him. "They will probably do it," he sighed, "even if they know he would kill them for their ways."

Everyone didn't comment on the last bit. They all knew that Arthur was the king of a kingdom that banned sorcery of all types and that the Druids were the most known to practice the rites. Instead Leon asked, "Will we be able to find them?" The part left unsaid was could they find one of the peaceful nomadic tribes before Arthur succumbed to the fluid building in his lungs?

Gwaine shrugged, "Dunno, but it wouldn't hurt to at least walk until we hope to?" It wasn't a suggestion as much as a question. He wasn't a leader. That had been Arthur even if they all didn't want to admit that. At first they all thought they followed him because he knew who had started the storm, but now the group knew that he had just given off the aura of a leader.

They packed up their crude camp and had started walking south away from the clearing where the sorcerer had been and back toward a path they had known existed. Their feet carried them, once again taking turns to carry the very hurt king, and their way didn't last long before something shifted in the trees among them. The rain still pelted down as four green robed people melted from the protection of the forest.

The sudden appearance of the group of strangers had everyone on instant alert. It was as if the people had used magic to come from the trunks of the trees and the ferns themselves. Lancelot and Gwaine were the first to stop being tense as they all slowly came to the realization that it was Druids that now surrounded them. The same people who they had hoped to find were the ones to find them first.

One of the men, for that is what these robed people were, walked forward and lowered his hood. His eyes were a light blue and his hair had gone into the deep dark gray of an elder. "My name is Isalder," he told them. "We mean you no harm."

"We, as well, do not mean to wish any harm onto your people," Lancelot told the man as he bowed slightly in a friendly greeting. "We need help. Our friend was hurt in a fight with someone and we think his lungs have filled with sickness."

Isalder waved to one of the other men who walked forward as Elyan helped to bring Arthur down from Leon's back. The king's breath shuddered as the new Druid began to examine his patient laying on the forest mud. The physician, because that is what they assumed he must be, looked up into his leaders eyes for a bit and then back down to the blond.

"We cannot help King Arthur," Isalder declared to the group.

They gasped as they heard that they hadn't deceived the Druids. They had thought that if they had kept the man's true name and status hidden than maybe the nomadic magical people would be more willing to help.

"Please?" Guinevere begged. Tears formed in her eyes as she watched the man next to Arthur shake his head and walk back toward his original tree.

"It isn't that we are not willing," Isalder informed them. "We do not have the ability to clear this illness from the Once and Future King." The group became confused from the use of the odd title as he continued, "This storm is powerful and only Emrys can force it to end. He is the one who is destined to walk with Arthur and he is the only one who can end Arthur's torment. If he does not, then all will be lost to the darkness that looms in the edges of the future."

"Who is this Emrys? Where can we find him?" Leon demanded. The Druids stood still. When they didn't seem to want to divulge any more information Elyan tried, "How can we save Arthur if we cannot find this person you're speaking of?"

"Emrys is a powerful sorcerer. Go to Camelot and he will be there," Isalder and the rest of the Druids melted back into the forest as fast as they had emerged.

They didn't stay long as Leon bent down to allow Lancelot and Elyan to put the king onto his back. They had a long journey and they could now only wish to the gods they made it in time to find this Emrys. 'But why is a powerful sorcerer in Camelot?' They all thought to themselves as their feet once again pushed into the mud.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Sorry this took so long to be released. My page is now up to date to this and so updates are going to come more frequently. Follow me on Facebook - Just search "France Gamble" and like my author page. Read all of my stories sooner. Thanks everyone! Review and let me know what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Quick note: This took so long because I was publishing Keeper's Kinn. If you like this story, than go and check that out on Amazon. Look for my books by searching: France Gamble. Thanks everyone!

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin nor Disney's Frozen. I am making no money off of this story.

Chapter 22

It was cold. The air was damp and chilly against his skin. He felt his body shiver before his left hand dropped from where it had been draped against his chest. The splash and sudden plunge of his arm into icy cold water jolted him awake. He gasped as he brought the dripping appendage back up and against him.

Slowly he sat up on what he found to be a stone slab bed. It had hay, wet and cold, to make it softer to lay on. Above him was a small window, too small to climb out of. It was dripping down the wall and onto the stone floor below. All around him was a good depth of water gathered. Across from him were bars. He was in dungeons.

'Camelot's?', he wondered. Probably. Arthur must have come back or sent his knights to take him.

He wondered and worried for his dragon. He hoped the beast was alright. He wondered how many of the knights were also injured during the fight. He was sure there would be many casualties.

He needed to get out; he needed to escape again. He gathered courage and put his boots into the water. It sloshed and soaked over the top to his toes inside. He bit his lower lip to stop himself from screaming out. It was like a frozen lake had broke free and surrounded his legs. He started to slowly breathe in and out again. His breath having hitched in his attempt to not yell.

Now that the shock of the cold water was done, he scooted over to the bars. The water was deep even there. It seemed the castle was flooding. He noticed that he was in the upper dungeons. His memory of the layout of the castle served him, still. The lower levels must have been completely under the water. He was hoping someone had had the forethought to pull the prisoners from those depths before the water had drowned them. He pushed away those thoughts as they caused him to tremble more.

He brought his hands up to grasp the freezing cold bars of his cell. His long sleeves moved up on his arms and he saw something odd around his wrists. He hadn't noticed them before. Two, one for each side, shackles were locked around him. 'Probably to chain me later,' he reasoned.

He pushed out slightly with his magic hoping to unlock the dungeon door. Nothing happened. He shook his head and concentrated again. Inside he tried to find that sense to use that always just was his magic. This time, instead of nothing happening, a jolt of pain shot from his wrists to his chest. He let go of the bars to stumble back and grab the front of his shirt.

He decided to shuffle back to the bench and pull his soaked feet from the water. Breathing was difficult at first for him, but soon everything subsided. The pain ceased and his vision once again cleared.

The shackles. They weren't there to chain him up. They were enchanted to suppress his magic. The chaotic magic had never been controlled like this before. His blue eyes glared at them in anger.

As he fumed at being trapped again, he heard a noise coming down the halls. Someone was entering the dungeons and sloshing through the flood. Two red cloaked guards shown and opened the cell door. It didn't take them much to pull the struggling warlock from his new cage.

"Let me go!" Merlin yelled. His demands fell on deaf ears.

He was dragged up the stairs to the throne room. Inside the large room where he had been first sentenced to his solitary years with the court physician sat Arthur's uncle and Morgana. Beside the dark haired woman was a boy in knights clothes who glared back at Merlin with hostility.

"Sorcerer," Agrevaine ground out, "stop this storm immediately."

Merlin glared back, but inside he trembled, "I can't. I don't know how I started it."

Morgana pleaded with him, "You must stop it. People are dying. Don't you care about people?"

Merlin nodded, "I do care, but I don't know how!"

The king's uncle stood from his throne, "Then I have no choice. I sentence you to hang in the morning. May your death end this plague on Albion."

The guards took a now frightened and screaming Merlin away from the acting monarch, "Please! No! I didn't mean to do it! Please!" His screams could be heard for ten minutes until they had securely brought him back to the upper dungeons.

~*~Ma~*~

Outside of the outer walls of Camelot stood Gwen, the men, and Arthur in Percival's arms. They scrambled for the sanctuary of the city inside. Leon took the king from the burly man and rushed for the inner castle. They needed to find Emrys and soon.

~*~Tsuzuku~*~

A/N: Now that I am not working, I will be able to update this faster. If you like my stuff, go buy my books. It will keep me home longer and working on stories!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

He couldn't breathe. Every time he struggled to bring in the much needed oxygen his chest burned. Outside of his struggle he could hear someone talking. It was his physician, Edmund, who was speaking to someone else. The words filtered passed the wheezing of his struggle, "He has severe pneumonia. I fear there is nothing to be done for him. I cannot cure this."

A feminine voice asked, "How are we to save him? He is our king!" It sounded like Morgana, but Arthur had never heard her so stressed before. He tried to open his eyes, but his body was not cooperating with him. Just breathing continued to be the only thing he could do. He had never been so weak before.

His first knight spoke then, bringing the count of people in the room to four at least, "We sought out a physician within a group that was in the forest and they said that the only one who could possibly save the king's life is a man named Emrys." Arthur didn't remember ever leaving Merlin, let alone coming across anyone in the forest on their way back. A lot of his memory is fog and he wondered whether he was dreaming now. He felt he must be back into the castle again. A sharp hit of thunder outside of his window also alerted to him that the storm was still raging as well.

They had failed and it sounded like he was dying. Their voices filtered in and out as they discussed finding this man who could save him. Leon must have ran out to follow an order of something by Morgana. The physician then gave his own leave.

He struggled some more with opening his eyes when he heard another shift of fabric. Morgana must have still been in the room with him. He couldn't even groan to let her know he was awake. Then she started to talk as if to herself, "Oh Arthur. What have you gotten yourself into this time? I wonder if you had been lying to me all of this time. Did you know that the peasant had the use of magic to his ability? How could he have stand to hear every one of his kind being burned, beheaded and hanged outside of his window time and time again? I wept, you know? I wept with every death your father cast down from on his balcony. You stood there like a good child and watched each one later. I even begged for their lives at times, too. He would have nothing of it, though. I had hoped you would have been different, but I know you are not. You are just like your father before you." She sighed and they were in silence so long he had come to think she had left again. "Emrys…" she said suddenly in a way that brought him to think she was contemplating something horrible. "I wonder if he is the one who could stop this storm, as well? I need to go, my dear king, and find this man. He sounds awfully powerful." Her skirts rustled and her heels clicked against the stone flooring as she left the chamber.

Arthur was once again alone struggling to breath. Inside, though, he wondered why he felt horror at Morgana finding this Emrys. If she found the great sorcerer quick enough then he would survive… right?

~*~*~ Tzuzuku~*~*~

A/N: Read and review, please! Now that I am trying my hand at being a full time writer and author, I should have more time to get this out. Don't forget to like my facebook page and check out my original books! All sales bring me closer to being a full time writer and getting chapters done faster.


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